When you live in a small home, it can be difficult to find the perfect heating and cooling units for your needs. You might not have much space or need to provide too much cooling power, but that doesn’t mean you don’t want to spend wisely. Luckily, there are several things you should consider before buying any small-home HVAC unit.
Unit Size
To lower your energy bills, it’s critical to match the size of your home to the capacity of your heating or air conditioning equipment. A unit that is too tiny will never be able to fully heat or cool a house. When a device is too large, it heats and cools too rapidly, resulting in higher energy consumption. Another disadvantage of air conditioners that are too big for the home is excessive humidity because the motor does not have enough time to evaporate the air while circulating. Mold and mildew can develop as a result. It’s also critical to make sure that any ductwork you’re considering is large enough.
Unit Type
The greatest portion of heating and cooling systems use natural gas, oil, or electricity as fuel. Natural gas or oil has long been the primary source of energy for furnaces, whereas air conditioners have traditionally been powered by electric power. The location where the fuel/power is positioned is the main difference in terms of type and importance.
Efficiency Rating
Before you buy, check to see whether the efficiency rating is high enough. Not all HVAC systems are made equal, and not all manufacturers or vendors provide an efficiency rating on the unit itself. The SEER score indicates government appliance standards, and the greater the number, the more efficient the device. Fore more information on efficiency rating, make sure to ask your HVAC contractor before having any kind of system installed.
Other Options
Another alternative in a chilly climate is to use radiant heat within concrete slabs, which may assist you avoid having to utilize a furnace if you live in a temperate zone where below-freezing temperatures are unusual. Heat mats placed beneath tile floors might also be an option. Solar heating may be a suitable long-term solution for tiny houses, although solar panels are generally more expensive than a furnace. Alternative cooling methods include swamp coolers that use circulated water and wind to generate cold air.