Signs Of An Oversized Furnace

As it relates to selecting a heating system, bigger is not necessarily better.

An oversized furnace will lead to a premature heater replacement, causing the homeowner to fork out more money on a new heating system sooner than expected. Before it reaches that point, however, the homeowner will experience a number of heating problems. A heater that is too big will negatively impact the entire HVAC system. It will compromise the comfort of the occupants of the home. The indoor air quality will suffer. Also, they will face high energy bills and unnecessary HVAC repair costs. Unfortunately, buying an oversized system is a costly mistake that is made far too often. This article discusses signs of oversized furnace.

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Signs That Your Furnace Is Not Sized Correctly

Homeowners often think that because a bigger HVAC system has a higher capacity, it will heat their house much faster and more effectively than a smaller-sized system. However, in reality, a forced-air system is meant to match your home. HVAC contractors use several factors to determine the proper size of an HVAC system. Windows, house orientation, insulation type, square footage, and more are taken into consideration. They calculate the proper load using scientific calculations. It is not as simple as choosing a system at random because it’s big and powerful.

A system that is excessively large for your home will cause the HVAC system to get damaged, resulting in a wide array of HVAC issues, as mentioned above. As a result, it will be impossible to create a comfortable and healthy indoor environment. Luckily, certain signs can let you know whether or not the furnace is the correct size. These indicators include:

Challenges With Your HVAC Installation

If you purchase an oversized furnace, it is likely you will need to hire extra labor to move or adjust the fuel connections to house the furnace. Furthermore, if your furnace is incompatible with the existing ductwork, the ductwork may have to be replaced or modified during the HVAC installation.

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HVAC & Humidity Problems In Your Home

For indoor comfort, the levels of humidity in the home should be consistent throughout. Unfortunately, if the furnace is excessively big, it could cause the levels of humidity in your home to fluctuate constantly, resulting in humidity issues. More specifically, the chance of mold growth will be amplified, a less comfortable indoor environment will exist, and respiratory problems like asthma and nasal congestion could be triggered because of allergens in the water vapor.

Furnace Issues: Short Cycling & Operation

Arguably, this is the most common indication of an oversized heater. If the furnace is excessively large, your home will heat up quickly. This may be nice but there is more to consider. However, since the rest of the HVAC system is not able to manage the volume of heat that the oversized furnace generates, the thermostat for the unit will prematurely shut off the heating system. It does this to stop overheating, resulting in short cycling. Sadly, short cycling will intensify the wear and tear on the furnace, leading to frequent breakdowns. This is an indication that the lifespan of the furnace will typically be shortened. At the same time, your heating costs will significantly increase by short cycling.

Temperature Imbalances Throughout Your Residence

If the furnace is excessively big, there will be temperature imbalances throughout the home. More specifically, areas nearest to the heater will be disproportionately warmer than the areas that are further away. At this point, it should be noted that temperature imbalances could also result in a furnace malfunction. If you notice temperature imbalances in your home, it is likely the furnace is oversized.

Higher Than Normal Operational Costs & Energy Bills

As previously mentioned, short cycling is among the signs that the furnace is too big. Furthermore, short cycling results in a furnace consuming more fuel, leading to an increase in heating costs. This problem indicates that if you have an oversized furnace, you should hire a qualified HVAC technician. They can substitute it with a more appropriate alternative.

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Tremendously Noisy When Running

If the furnace is oversized, it is likely it will be noticeably loud as the current duct system will not be able to support it fully. While a noisy furnace could be an indication of other issues with the HVAC system, it is likely to be irritating.

Unattainable AFUE & BTU Efficiency Ratings

Typically, high-performance furnaces have elevated BTU capacities and AFUE ratings. However, this is not the case with oversized high-performance heaters. In other words, if the high-performance furnace is excessively large, its highest BTU capacity and AFUE ratings will never be attained, which is an indication that you will never fully relish its energy efficiency advantages. In fact, as mentioned above, quite the opposite. Your furnace, even with a high AFUE rating, will be extremely inefficient in its performance.

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Conclusion

Indications your furnace is excessively large include it being overly noisy, unrealistic efficiency ratings, and temperature imbalances throughout the home. Furthermore, you will notice higher operating costs, short cycling, installation challenges, and humidity issues.

To avoid these issues, work with an expert HVAC contractor to figure out the correct furnace size for your home. An experienced HVAC contractor can perform a load calculation, enabling you to select the right furnace size for your home.

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Call Wilcox Energy For All Your HVAC Requirements

Wilcox Energy provides high-quality heating and cooling services throughout the southern Connecticut shoreline. We have the best professionally certified and highly skilled technicians for all your HVAC service needs, such as maintenance, installations, replacements, and repairs. All our techs can service your HVAC system correctly using their knowledge and experience.

Our company offers highly affordable HVAC service rates in the locality. Our tune-up services help you achieve higher energy efficiency and better home comfort with reduced energy costs. If you need to replace or repair your HVAC system, we can recommend the most suitable and budget-friendly one for your home. Your satisfaction is important to us, so all our work is guaranteed. Call Wilcox Energy to schedule a service appointment today. We offer free, in-home estimates.

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For more information about our HVAC services, be sure to contact Wilcox Energy. You can click here to contact us, or you can call us at (860) 399-6218 to find out more. We offer a full line of heating and cooling repairs, maintenance services, and installations. Click the link to view our service area.