Maximize Your HVAC Efficiency by Avoiding These Common Mistakes

With advancements in technology, HVAC systems have become more efficient. However, common mistakes made during installation, maintenance, and operation can quickly negate these gains.

As the heating, air conditioning, and ventilation (HVAC) system is a significant investment and a major energy consumer in your home, it’s essential to ensure proper installation, maintenance, and control. Don’t let these mistakes reduce your HVAC system’s efficiency and shorten its lifespan, leading to added costs and reduced performance.

HVAC Mistake: Improperly Sized Air Conditioning Units

Choosing an air conditioning unit that is not appropriately sized for your home is a critical HVAC mistake to avoid, warns Eric Weiss, Technical Trainer for Trane Residential. An air conditioner that is too little for your home may struggle to keep up with demand, leading to extended run times and increased energy consumption, ultimately reducing its lifespan, explains Weiss.

On the other hand, if the unit is oversized, it will turn on and off frequently in short bursts, causing inadequate humidity control and ineffective air circulation within the home. Additionally, the constant on-off cycling will also put added stress on the HVAC system and cause premature wear and tear.

HVAC Mistake: Incorrect Air Filter Choice

Third-party air filters may seem like a good idea, but they can lead to one of the common HVAC mistakes: using overly restrictive filters. These filters can trap particles as small as 0.3 microns, including viruses. While air filters protect your blower, overly restrictive filters can harm your HVAC system.

Eric Weiss recommends discussing your needs with the installer before installation. If you want your HVAC system to also serve as a whole-house air filtration system, ensure the installer knows this beforehand.

These aggressive filters can impede airflow, reducing the efficiency of your HVAC system and shortening its lifespan. To prevent this, the installer can adjust the ductwork to ensure proper airflow, even with a restrictive filter.

HVAC Mistake: Improper Placement of Outdoor Coils

When installing an air-conditioning system, it’s crucial to ensure the outdoor coil unit remains at or near the ambient air temperature. However, attempts to blend the unit with landscaping can result in air recirculation around the coils, leading to higher operating temperatures.

As per Eric Weiss, this can result in a decrease in cooling capacity by up to 15% and a corresponding increase in energy consumption by up to 20%. To avoid these costly inefficiencies, properly place the outdoor coil unit in an open and unobstructed area.

HVAC Mistake: Refrigerant Additives

It is essential to be mindful when considering refrigerant additives in your HVAC system. The manufacturers carefully choose the oils and additives in their systems to optimize performance and reliability. Adding third-party additives can be risky and negatively impact the system’s performance.

According to Weiss, some third-party maintenance technicians may sell these additives to increase their profit margins. However, testing has shown that many of these additives result in negative outcomes, and some do not produce noticeable changes. It is best to avoid using these products and maintain the integrity of your HVAC system.

HVAC Mistake: Utilizing Cleaners on the Coils

Maintaining a clean HVAC system is a fundamental and effective method to maintain optimal performance. However, using cleaners that contain acidic or alkaline substances can be a common HVAC mistake. Weiss suggests effectively cleaning the coils using a low-pressure water stream. Before cleaning, it’s important to turn off the power to the unit, then direct the water from the garden hose towards the coils and cooling fins. For areas close to cottonwood trees, it may be necessary to open the top of the unit to wash away any accumulated fibers, but always remember to turn off the power before doing so.

HVAC Mistake: Installing A New Furnace With The Same Capacity As The Previous Model

When upgrading your furnace, it is crucial to consider the advancements in technology and changes in your home’s heating requirements. Installing a new furnace with the same capacity as the previous model may result in energy waste and disruptive noise levels.

To ensure optimal energy efficiency and quiet operation, it is recommended to reassess your home’s heating needs and choose a furnace that is appropriately sized. Downsizing the unit may bring additional benefits in energy efficiency and noise reduction.

HVAC Mistake: Operating the Blower Continuously in Humid Regions

In hot and dry climates like Phoenix, Arizona, continuous operation of the HVAC blower is recommended to ensure even distribution of cool air throughout the home, according to Weiss. However, in more humid regions such as Texas and the Midwest, Weiss suggests installing a variable-speed blower or programming it only to run when the compressor is in operation. This is because the continuous operation of the blower increases the relative humidity level within the home by 6-10%, leading to decreased comfort.

HVAC Mistake: Omitting a Return in a Room With a Door

Effective air circulation in a home is crucial for maintaining optimal temperature and air quality. An air return is a pathway to flow back to the furnace-A/C blower to be conditioned before being re-distributed to the rooms. However, installing a vent in a room without a proper air return can result in negative pressure within the home and compromise the HVAC system’s performance.

According to Weiss, a room with a vent without a return can experience positive pressure, which will cause the rest of the home to be in a negative pressure state. This can result in the pulling of air from outside, bypassing the HVAC system, and potentially trapping harmful gases from gas appliances.

For a well-functioning HVAC system, it is important to ensure that all rooms have sufficient airflow to a return and that the returns are adequately sized to support efficient air circulation back to the furnace and blower.

HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. It is a technology that is used to control the temperature, humidity, and air quality of indoor environments. The HVAC system consists of several components that work together to create a comfortable and healthy living or working space.

The heating aspect of the system is used to keep the building warm during cold weather. This is typically done through the use of a furnace, which burns fuel such as natural gas or oil to create heat. The heat is then distributed throughout the building using a system of ducts.

The ventilation aspect of the system is used to bring fresh air into the building and remove stale air. This is important for maintaining good indoor air quality and for removing pollutants and allergens from the air. This is typically done through the use of an air exchange system, which brings in fresh outdoor air and removes stale indoor air.

The air conditioning aspect of the system is used to keep the building cool during hot weather. This is typically done through the use of an air conditioner, which removes heat from the indoor air and releases it outside. The cooled air is then distributed throughout the building using the same duct system used for heating.

The HVAC system also includes a thermostat, which is used to control the temperature of the building and turn the HVAC system on and off as needed. Modern thermostats can be programmable, allowing the user to set the desired temperature at different times of the day, and some even have the ability to be controlled remotely through a smartphone or tablet.

In summary, HVAC technology is a combination of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems that are designed to provide a comfortable and healthy indoor environment. It works by controlling temperature, humidity and air quality, it uses different components like furnace, air conditioner, ductwork and thermostat to achieve this goal. It also helps in reducing energy costs and environmental impact.