The size of your air ducts is critical when outfitting your home with a new HVAC system. Choosing too big or too small of ducts can cause numerous issues with your heating and cooling in Mesa. At Honest Home Services LLC, our expert technicians will choose the right size air ducts for your system, ensuring comfort inside your home. Of course, you should always have new ductwork installed by a professional technician, and that technician can correctly calculate duct size based on your home and your HVAC system. Read on to learn more about the importance of duct sizing.
Proper Airflow
Duct size is crucial for the best airflow from your heating and cooling units. If your ducts are too small, your hot and cold air may be restricted, leading to inefficient heating and cooling throughout the house. The smaller ducts may not be able to carry enough conditioned air to keep your home at a desired temperature. With ducts that are too large for your unit, you may lose your desired temperature before the air reaches the vents, as it has too much space inside the ducts. You may also hear rattling or other noises as the air moves through the ducts. Finding the correct duct size leads to sufficient and even airflow, allowing you to reach an ideal temperature in your home.
Energy Efficiency
Another prime aspect of duct sizing is energy efficiency. Not only do we strive for the best efficiency for environmental reasons, but it also helps save money on utility bills. Who doesn’t love saving money? Your heating and cooling system works at optimal efficiency when you have correctly sized air ducts for your conditioned air to push through. Undersized ducts cause your HVAC system to work harder in pushing air through the system due to increased static pressure. This increased workload leads to more energy consumption and higher utility bills. Oversized air ducts reduce airflow velocity, which results in inefficient heating and cooling. With oversized ducts, you may have to crank the thermostat to extreme temperatures to reach your desired temperature. This thermostat adjustment causes your unit to run longer and more frequently, draining energy and increasing your monthly bill.
Prevention of Air Leaks
Even with correctly sealed and connected ducts, you may lose air through small leaks if your ducts are not the correct size for your system. Air velocity increases if your ducts are too small. This increase in pressure may lead to leaks at joints and connections and cause loss of conditioned air before it reaches your vents. Oversized ducts may have too little pressure, resulting in air leaking through cracks and gaps due to not having enough force behind it. Air leaks in your ducts cause insufficient heating and cooling, inefficiency of your HVAC system, and higher utility costs. Choose the correct duct size and ensure they are sealed well to minimize air leaks and enhance system performance.
Better Air Quality
Indoor air quality is dependent on correctly sized air ducts. Undersized ducts create inadequate airflow, which leads to stagnant air. This stagnant air allows allergens, pollutants, and moisture to accumulate inside your ductwork, leading to poor indoor air quality. Poor air quality could cause health consequences, especially for those with certain health conditions and compromised immune systems. Oversized ducts may lead to insufficient ventilation, causing inadequate air exchange. Choose the correct size of ductwork to promote ideal air distribution, ventilation, and filtration for a healthier indoor environment.
Longevity of Your HVAC Units
Proper ductwork size is related to the performance and longevity of your HVAC units. Remember that undersized ducts cause your machines to work harder to keep your home at an ideal temperature. Oversized ducts may lead to short cycling where the units frequently turn on and off. This extra workload causes excess wear and tear on your furnace and air conditioner. Overworked HVAC units are more prone to breakdowns and failures and could reach the end of their lifespan much sooner than those with properly sized ducts. Choosing the ideal size for your ducts helps minimize unexpected repairs and prolongs the life of your heating and cooling units.
How to Calculate Duct Size
Professional HVAC technicians follow a formula to calculate the proper duct size for your heating and cooling units. This formula requires the technician to know the size of your home in cubic feet. We’ll also need to know the operating BTUs (British thermal units) and CFM (cubic feet per minute) airflow of your furnace and air conditioner. Although you can find duct sizing calculators online, you’ll want to refer to an expert to ensure your numbers are correct to avoid the issues associated with oversized and undersized ductwork.
Concerned About Your Duct Size
If your existing system is struggling to keep up or seems to be using excessive energy, you may have an issue related to the size of your air ducts. These problems can be especially true if you’ve replaced your heater or air conditioner without replacing the ducts in your home. Our responsible technicians will ensure you have the proper sized ducts when installing a new heating and cooling unit, but past companies may have neglected to check this crucial factor.
Signs of oversized or undersized HVAC air ducts include:
- Insufficient or inadequate heating and cooling
- High energy consumption caused by inefficiency
- Poor indoor air quality
- Frequent breakdowns due to excessive wear and tear
- Short cycling
Although these symptoms could have a variety of other causes, do not overlook improper duct sizing as a cause. Your technician may look at mechanical components inside your unit, check for proper thermostat calibration, or inspect your ducts for obstructions. If these other issues don’t seem to be causing the problem, ask your HVAC technician to check your air ducts for proper sizing. If we find that your ducts are too big or too small, our experienced technicians can replace the ducts with those of the correct size.
If you have concerns about the size of your HVAC air ducts or are considering installing new ducts, know that the size ducts is extremely important. Remember that oversized or undersized ducts can cause problems with energy efficiency, proper airflow, and indoor air quality.
Your Trusted Mesa Professionals
Consult with our professional HVAC technicians in Mesa to find out what size air ducts you need for your heating and cooling units. Our technicians provide the highest quality service to ensure you are completely satisfied with the work we perform. We focus on prompt, courteous, and knowledgeable service to be sure our customers get nothing short of the best. In addition to ductwork, our pros at Honest Home Services LLC offer expert air conditioner and heater repairs, maintenance, and installations. You can also count on us for mini-splits, heat pumps, and indoor air quality services.
Call one of our trusted and reliable technicians at Honest Home Services LLC today to ensure you have the right-sized air ducts inside your Mesa, AZ home.
