If you ask many experts, they would agree that air conditioner size does matter. But unfortunately, many people fail to realize how important it is to purchase the right-sized air conditioner for their home. Mostly, people opt for a bigger one, thinking it might be good to have a larger rather than a smaller one. But getting an oversized air conditioner can cause more problems.

The Effects of an Oversized Air Conditioner

Many people think that an oversized air conditioner will just push colder air into the rooms of their house. They can compensate by setting their thermostat temperature higher. This is very inaccurate. The truth is that an oversized AC will present some problems such as:

Your AC will turn on and off frequently. This is called short cycling; it lowers your unit’s efficiency and wears it down faster.
An oversized AC will not remove humidity from your home as effectively as a properly sized unit. This can lead to discomfort and also damage to your home.
An oversized AC will push warmer air into your rooms. This is because the unit cools the air so quickly that it does not have time to circulate correctly.

In short, an oversized AC is not ideal for any home. So if looking to buy a new air conditioner, get one that is the right size for your home. Otherwise, you may end up causing more issues.

If you already have an oversized AC, there are some things you can do to mitigate the problems it causes. One solution is to use a zoning system. This will allow you to direct the airflow from your AC unit to specific areas of your home.

Another solution is to increase the efficiency of your unit by having it serviced regularly and keeping the filters clean. By taking these steps, you can help ensure that your AC runs properly and doesn’t cause any unnecessary problems in your home.

Your Air Conditioner Turns On and Off Often

When your air conditioner is too big for your house, it takes less time to cool off your home’s interior. This might feel nice in the short term, but bad things will ensue.

The excessively fast and powerful cooling process will force your air conditioner to turn itself off after it reaches the ideal temperature to avoid overcooling. As a result, you might find that your air conditioning unit turns itself on and off occasionally.

Higher Energy Bill

So your air conditioner turns off and on more often than it should. Meanwhile, it uses more energy to start up. Simply put, your oversized AC unit will consume more energy than a more appropriately sized one. So at the end of the month, you will end up with a higher electric bill.

Your Air Conditioner Will Be More Prone to Breaking

This on-off cycling also puts more pressure on the machine. For example, if your air conditioner is oversized, it might experience overheating. It also tends to shorten the unit’s lifespan, especially if you don’t schedule regular maintenance.

Humid Air

Another problem that may arise from an oversized AC is the humidity level. Not many people realize this, but air conditioning also removes the moisture from hot, humid air. Ideally, indoor air has about 30-50% humidity.

However, your air conditioner should run a full cycle to reach this humidity level. Since your air conditioner shuts off too soon, the machine fails to reach this humidity level, resulting in cold but still too humid indoor air.

Not only does humidity affect the room’s comfort level, but it also triggers mold in the system. Mold is bad for your HVAC system as it may result in leaks, inefficiency, decreased air conditioner performance, and a shorter unit lifespan.

What Am I Supposed to Do?

Every air conditioner has a specific size. To determine which size is the correct one for the particular room you plan to cool, here are a few things you need to consider:

the room size
the insulation level of the house
the climate in the area
the amount and size of openings in the room

Not every air conditioner seller knows how to determine the right size, so don’t rely too much on the salesman. If you are unsure which size air conditioner to buy, it is better to get one from a professional. This also applies when you realize that the AC unit you bought is oversized.

Some people think that too much of anything can never be that big deal. But it can be a huge deal if you are talking about the size of your AC unit. An oversized air conditioner will bring some problems that many people fail to realize, so make sure to find the right-sized AC unit for your home.

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ECM Air Conditioning, with its headquarters located in Boynton Beach, FL, provides air conditioning services within Palm Beach County, Broward County, Martin County, and St. Lucie County. If you’re looking to have a new HVAC system installed, we’re on-call and ready to assist you. So if you’re in need of an HVAC installation, don’t hesitate to contact us today to schedule an inspection! Our HVAC installation experts will check your ductwork, measure, check wire sizes, and more before making recommendations to ensure maximum efficiency and comfort. Call us at 561-295-1763 or contact our HVAC installation team online by clicking here.