Installation Services
Cooling and Air Conditioning Installation Services
You may be familiar with the ENERGY STAR label on energy efficient cooling equipment, but did you know that improper installation can reduce the efficiency of the equipment by over 30%. It is estimated that 80%-90% of all heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment has comfort robbing, energy wasting problems. This equipment never performs to its advertised capacity and efficiency due to incorrect installation, which means you, as a homeowner, pay higher operating costs over the life of the equipment.
Components of a proper installation:
Needs Analysis
The comfort needs of you and your family as well as the characteristics of your home are unique and need to be understood before a new comfort system can be designed. At Friesen’s we take the time to ask the right questions before designing a comfort solution that is just right for you, your family and your budget. Some of the questions that we ask are: Do you have any hot or cold spots? Does anyone suffer from asthma or air borne allergies? Is your home too dry or too muggy in certain times of the year?
Proper Equipment Sizing
Installing the right size equipment for your home is essential to getting the best performance from your cooling equipment and maintaining the comfort you deserve. Some believe that bigger is better when buying an air conditioner, but a cooling system actually operates best when properly sized. An oversized air conditioner will cycle on and off more frequently, making the home less comfortable and shorten the life.
Proper Refrigerant Settings
Proper refrigerant settings are essential to optimize the performance of your new air conditioner. Improper settings will significantly reduce your comfort level and the life span of the air conditioner, all the while increasing the operating costs. Over-charged systems will “flood” the system and not cool the home. Undercharged systems will freeze and not allow the air to pass the heat exchanger.
Optimizing Air Flow (Temperature drop)
It should always be the goal of a proper installation to reach optimal air flow. Too little air will cause the equipment to freeze and significantly increase energy costs. Too much air will cause excessive noise, higher electricity costs and the system will be unable to remove the humidity that makes you feel warm. By adjusting the air flow and temperature drop while checking the refrigerant pressures a properly train technician will be able to establish the ideal settings.
Leak Sealing
Air that leaks out of the ducts in an unconditioned space is a major cause of increased energy consumption. In Alberta, for the most part, our ducting is always in a conditioned space so the cooling isn’t actually lost and wasted it is rather misplaced. This leakage is however a contributor to hot and cold spots in the home. By sealing the leaks, the air gets delivered to its designated location keeping your home comfortable.
Which Air Conditioner Model is right for you?
- EFFICIENCY – Air Conditioner efficiency is rated in SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating). Air Conditioners built 10+ years ago typically had a SEER rating of 6. New Air Conditioners must now have a minimum rating of 13 but are now available with ratings over 20.
- COOLING OUTPUT – Maintaining an ideal temperature in the home has also been improved with the development of multiple stage cooling options. It is like having a smaller air conditioner inside the bigger air conditioner to operate on the milder days when less cooling is required and the larger air conditioner kicks in only when the temperature rises and more cooling is required.