Hey, Tampa area neighbors: Did you know that your home insulation can make your HVAC unit work even harder? Yes, it’s true, your insulation has a significant impact on your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) efficiency.
Proper insulation prevents cool air from escaping your home; which means insulation acts as a barrier to heat flow. Kind of key here for a home in Tampa Bay! Especially during the hot summer months, the heat from outside will naturally try to make its way inside to cooler areas.
While our team doesn’t install new insulation, we know its importance to do our jobs effectively. When we can keep the cool air produced by your HVAC system inside your home, it reduces the need for the system to work overtime to maintain a comfortable temperature. This not only helps to reduce energy consumption but also extends the lifespan of your HVAC system by reducing wear and tear (Though if you’re overdue for a maintenance call, go ahead and give us a call!)
How Your Insulation May Impact Your AC System
Without adequate insulation, the cool air produced by your HVAC system can easily leak out through walls, ceilings, and floors! This forces your HVAC system to work harder to replace the lost cool air overtime. With proper insulation, your home can retain the cool air better, allowing your air conditioning system to work more efficiently in the long run.
Remember: Your insulation works by slowing the rate of heat transfer. Proper insulation slows this process, keeping your home cooler for longer periods. If you’re building a new home or remodeling an older house, keep the insulation in mind too along with all the other aspects of your electrical & mechanical planning. Your insulation can help in reducing the load on your HVAC system. This means your system doesn’t have to kick on as frequently, saving energy and reducing your utility bills.
Staying Cool with Cooling Load
If your square feet per ton — the measure of cooling load — is less than 1,000 for newer homes, it indicates that your house isn’t working as efficiently as it should be. HVAC contractors use the ‘rule of thumb’ of providing 1 ton of air conditioning capacity for each 400 to 600 square feet of floor area.
But guess what? This might inflate the actual capacities required if they feel you have insufficient insulation. For instance, then a technician could calculate based on 500 square feet per ton, which means they could possibly be installing an air conditioner that’s as much as three times larger than needed. (And, costing you more money for the new unit in the process if you’re on the lower end.)
If you stick to the 400 to 600 square feet per ton rule, you may very well end up with an oversized air conditioner that could lead to needless energy consumption and inflated bills. Understanding your own property’s insulation’s role in HVAC efficiency is clearly instrumental in helping you beat the Tampa Bay heat. You know, without blowing your budget.
We’re Always There for Your Air
While our team doesn’t fix or install insulation, we know its importance to do our jobs effectively and know some of the best techs in town to do the job right. For homeowners in Tampa Bay, Florida, investing in good insulation, and amazing AC service, can significantly improve HVAC efficiency and result in substantial energy and cost savings over time.
Around here, our AC experts aim to always maintain a more consistent indoor temperature. Your air conditioning system doesn’t have to work as hard to cool your home (this is literally money, in cost savings). We’re talking less frequent repairs, longer HVAC system life, and overall improved efficiency.
Call/text our 5-star team any time for HVAC repairs or referrals to equally great insulation companies!
