Air Conditioner (AC) Questions

Frequently Asked Air Conditioner (AC) Questions

Where can I get a really good explanation of how an air conditioner works for a non technical person.

Check out the description offered at How Stuff Works .

I have heard that attic ventilation is important for the efficient operation of your air conditioner, why is this?

Without proper attic ventilation your house will probably feel like it is never able to be comfortable on a really hot day. The heat that builds up in a poorly ventilated attic stifles your air conditioners best attempt at cooling by continuing to share heat to the main portion of the house. If the heat outside is 85-90 degrees you can be sure it will be hotter in your un-ventilated attic. To put it another way. Think of it like turning on your air conditioner and several small room heaters at the same time. It just doesn't work very well.

I think that my attic needs more ventilation, what are my options?

There are some very good powered attic fans and whole house fans available at your local home improvement store. If you are a modest do-it-yourselfer you may find this to be a very reasonable project but be aware it will likely require connecting into your existing power and cutting a hole in your roof which will need to be properly sealed. Regardless whether you hire someone or do it yourself the end result will probably amaze you. Your home will not get as stifling hot and will cool faster.

The HVAC Technician that recently gave me an estimate said I needed a larger AC unit than what I currently have. How do I know if this is true or if he is just trying to sell me a more expensive unit than I need?

Determining central air conditioning unit size is a complicated process and best done by a professional. If you are unsure if you can trust the contractor that gave you the estimate you should get 1-2 more estimates from competing companies to compare the advice and price you are getting.