Considering a New HVAC System?

Every Charleston, South Carolina homeowner deserves a system that perfectly suits their heating and cooling needs. For this reason, we are breaking down everything you should know when considering a new HVAC system for your home.

Heat Pump vs. Furnace For a New HVAC System

Furnaces typically run on natural gas or oil. If your home has a gas line, then this system is an energy-efficient option to keep your home warm during harsh Charleston winters. The downside is that a furnace is a single-purpose system, which means it can only serve as a heater. To keep your home cool during the warmer summer months, you will need to pair your furnace with an air conditioner system. Hence, you will need to invest in two systems instead of one.

On the other hand, heat pumps serve as both a heating and cooling system. These systems work by moving air to alter the temperature inside your home. During winter months, pumps will pull heat from the air outside into your home to keep you warm. During summer months, it will reverse the function by removing heat from the air inside and sending it outside.

Benefits of Choosing a Heat Pump

Aside from working as both a heating and cooling system, there are other benefits of choosing this HVAC system for your home. These include improved energy-efficiency, multi-stage systems and variable speed motor.

#1 Energy-efficiency

Even though heat pumps typically run on electricity, they are recognized for their low energy consumption. All models have two rating systems, SEER and HSPF. When choosing a unit, you should look for a SEER rating above 15 and an HSPF rating above 8.5 to keep your home energy-efficient.

#2 Multi-stage systems

A single-stage system only allows one heating or cooling output, which means it’s either on or off. Systems that allow multiple stages can be set to different heating or cooling strengths depending on your home’s needs. Two-stage systems are the most common.

Two-stage systems typically allow a low and high setting for either heating or cooling. This allows homeowners to operate their system at a high heating stage during the harshest winter months or a low setting during the cooler, but nice-weather months.

Multi-stage systems require a higher starting cost for the system and installation, but once at home, they will help lower your energy bills as you won’t need to have it work at its maximum capacity throughout the year.

#3 Variable speed motors

A variable speed pump is one of the most attractive options in the market. Unlike other HVAC systems with only one or two stages, a variable speed motor allows you to increase or decrease its output depending on your heating and cooling needs.

This systems operate at varying speeds, which gives you more control over your indoor comfort. It also helps to lower your energy bills since you can decrease its output when no one is home.

The Right New HVAC System for Your Home

Once you understand the pros and cons of each of these systems, it is important to have a professional perform a load calculation to ensure you choose one that is the correct size for your home.

A load calculation will evaluate your home’s energy efficiency and requirements to determine which HVAC unit matches your needs and budget. Without a proper load calculation, you might select a system that is either too small or too large for your home, which causes uneven heating or cooling. This not only hinders your indoor comfort but also increases the risk of a system breakdown in the future.

Choosing the right HVAC system for your home will improve your energy efficiency saving you money, plus increase your indoor comfort. At AC Heating and Air Conditioning Services, we are here to help you choose a system that will meet your home’s heating and cooling needs, as well as your budget. Call us at (843) 277-9928 for more information.