Heating & Air
Air Conditioning Installation
Sized to the house, not to the box that was there before.
Sized to the house, not to the box that was there before.
Quick answer: Air conditioning installation should begin with sizing for the house and its humidity needs, plus a review of ductwork, electrical supply and condensate drainage. Licensed mechanical subcontractors perform the HVAC work and pull their own required trade permits. Southeastern Renovation coordinates the project in the Charleston Lowcountry and York County, South Carolina. Call (843) 718-8177 to discuss the property and scope.
Plan the scope: Charleston HVAC cost guide · York County cost guide · What to check before hiring an HVAC company.
Correct sizing comes from a load calculation that accounts for the actual building — square footage, insulation, window area and orientation, ceiling heights, ductwork and air sealing. Replacing like for like on the assumption the old unit was right simply inherits whatever mistake was made last time.
Ductwork deserves the same scrutiny. A great deal of Lowcountry ducting runs through unconditioned crawl spaces and attics, and leaking or poorly insulated ducts waste a substantial share of what the new equipment produces. Installing efficient equipment onto poor ducts buys a fraction of what was paid for.
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It comes from a load calculation on your specific house, not from the size of the outgoing unit and not from square footage alone.
Insulation, window area and orientation, ceiling height, duct condition and air sealing all change the answer. A quote offered without that calculation is a guess wearing a number.
No, and this is the most expensive misconception in the trade. An oversized system satisfies the thermostat before it has dehumidified, leaving a house that is cold and clammy, and the short cycling shortens equipment life.
Right-sized and running longer is what produces a comfortable house here.
It should at least be assessed. Ducts in unconditioned crawl spaces and attics — which is most of them here — commonly leak a significant fraction of conditioned air before it reaches a room.
Fitting efficient equipment to leaking ducts delivers a fraction of the efficiency paid for.