5 Overlooked Factors for HVAC Equipment Issues, ACHR Says
With October here, you probably have fall HVAC tune-ups on the mind, whether you are a homeowner with HVAC equipment performing sub-par or a contractor planning your fall maintenance appointments for your customers.
However, there are a handful of HVAC equipment issues that a simple equipment tune-up won’t fix.
ACHR News recently published an article about the importance of quality craftmanship over well-tuned equipment. ACHR contributor David Richardson challenges contractors, “While the equipment tonnage is often quoted on proposals, how can you be sure the equipment’s potential is really being achieved? Is it possible your installation practices are contributing to lost cooling efficiency?”
You can have top-notch equipment installed and still not get the cooling/heating results you desire. The following factors (often overlooked) were mentioned in the ACHR News article. You can read the full article here.
Airflow: It’s important to make sure the air being conditioned by the equipment matches the desired airflow throughout a home or building.
Excessive Static Pressure: If there’s too much static pressure in a home or building, the HVAC equipment will be less efficient and less effective at achieving desired cooling/heating levels.
Incorrect Refrigerant Charge: When there’s an HVAC equipment issue, it can be easy to thinking factor #3 is the problem. However, fixing this problem won’t do much if the other factors are issues too.
Duct Leakage: This factor can often be the hardest to fully grasp. We are so accustomed to thinking about the HVAC equipment and less used to thinking about the ductwork in a home or building. However, if the ductwork is not properly sealed, then duct leakage could be the culprit to your home or building HVAC issues. Historically, the primary way to seal ductwork was by hand with messy mastic or tape, taking days or weeks per job. Now contractors can use the computerized Aeroseal duct sealing technology to seal ductwork in only hours! Here’s a quick video to see how the technology works in homes.
Duct Thermal Losses: Not only is it important to seal ductwork, it is also critical to properly insulate it upon installation. For example, ductwork can be installed in attics that can reach temperatures of 140 degrees F and higher. If it’s not properly insulated, the ductwork will match the attic temperature and negatively affect the conditioned air flowing through it.
Do any of these issues sound familiar to you? An Aeroseal-licensed contractor is trained and ready to help fix any of these overlooked HVAC issues. Visit our dealer locator to find one near you.
Are you a contractor? We’d love to hear your thoughts on these issues. Feel free to email us, call us 877-349-3828, or leave a comment below.