Got HVAC Zones? You Might Want An Air Conditioner Installation Technician To Install Dampers | Fort Worth, TX
Here in Fort Worth, TX, zoned heating and air conditioning systems are a lifesaver come summer. Live in a multi-storied home but have just one air conditioning system connected to a thermostat installed downstairs? The upper floors could become hotter than the ground and first floor. “hotter” means about 2-5 degrees higher or even more. Fortunately, an air conditioner installation technician can implement HVAC zoning to resolve this problem. These systems force the air conditioner to fool the lower and upper floors separately. With zoning, you can enjoy controlled, even cooling, no matter the floor you are on. For instance, you could be happy at 76F downstairs during the day, even if it means that upstairs is 80-85 degrees. Since you aren’t spending time upstairs, it’s alright. At night, you want it at 75F upstairs where your bedroom is.
Bad Zoning vs Good Zoning Design
If your home has multiple HVAC systems that have multiple outdoor systems, different independent air ducts, and multiple blowers, congratulations! You may not need the air conditioner installation technician to modify your unit to accommodate your zones. Your air conditioning system was designed for very different HVAC systems, and you are all set. A variable air conditioner and a furnace connected to a variable airflow blower are the other great ways of designing a zoned HVAC system.
If you have dampers installed within your ductwork, you can direct airflow to the areas of the building that require it, and you can have confidence that the HVAC system will provide the ideal quantity of air to either heat or cool the region. It is precisely for this purpose that variable speed systems were developed. Ensure that an air conditioner installation inspects your ducting before laying a zoned system.
Poor zoning design is another issue, which manifests itself as typical, single-stage air conditioning systems with dampers installed in the ductwork. In many cases, the configuration of these systems is the same as that of variable-speed HVAC systems with zones. On the other hand, because it is a basic system with only a single speed, you will undoubtedly run into issues.
Why Is Adding Zones to Your Standard HVAC System a Terrible Idea?
Can you remember blowing into a juice straw when you were young? When you covered the other end of the straw, the pressure within the straw built up. This put some stress on your lungs and made you strain to blow a similar air volume via the straw. Having an air conditioner installation technician add zones to your standard heating and air conditioning system is the same. For them to send varying volumes of air into your Fort Worth, TX home, the air conditioner installation technician must install dampers. The dampers are installed inside the air ducts and respond to calls for fresh, conditioned air in different zones of your HVAC system. It means that they close and open as required.
But what is the problem? Whenever the dampers are open in some air ducts and closed in others, the air conditioner sends much air via the fewer ducts. This is like when you used to cover up a part of the straw while blowing the same air through. Rather than place stress on your lungs, additional stress is placed on your heating and air conditioning systems. This is not good at all.
In the heating and air conditioning world, this is called static pressure. The air conditioner installation technicians design every duct-type HVAC system for a certain static pressure volume. However, when the static pressure becomes too high and you move much air through fewer air ducts, problems arise. The stress on the HVAC system could result in wear and tear.
What’s Static Pressure in a Heating and Air Conditioning System?
Static pressure refers to air resistance to flow within a ducted system. It’s usually expressed in inch WC (inches of water column). It is critical to the operation of an HVAC system. The static pressure of your zoned system must be within the specified range of your system requirements and design. If the static pressure in your air conditioning system is too high, it could decrease airflow. This might lead to a poor IAQ (Indoor Air Quality).
Conversely, too low static pressure could result in the HVAC system working harder than it should. This means it will use more energy to cool or heat your home. Hence, the air conditioner installation technician must ensure that the static pressure in your zoned system is along the recommended levels.
Impacts of High Static Pressure on Your Zoned HVAC System
As explained above, there are many impacts of too low or too high static pressure in your zoned HVAC system. They include:
Noisy HVAC System
Does your zoned HVAC system produce loud noises when you turn it on to distribute treated air in your Fort Worth, TX home? That Could be a sign that it has high static pressure. The air moves via your HVAC unit’s return vents, grille, and air ducts faster than normal when the static pressure is high. Because of the reduced airflow, the HVAC blower motor will be forced to work harder to push the air via the dampers producing loud noises. You should call an air conditioner installation to inspect the dampers, ducts, and the system and make the required adjustments to reduce the static pressure.
Increasing Energy Bills
Correct and regulated static pressure allows HVAC systems to operate effectively and provide reliable interior comfort. However, you should contact an air conditioner installation specialist to inspect your equipment if your energy costs are rising steadily. That is due to the possibility that it has significant static pressure. High static pressure might result in HVAC failure or breakdowns if ignored, and your system is forced to work too hard for an extended time.
Uneven Heating and Cooling
A common sign of high static pressure in your zoned HVAC system is uneven heating and cooling or cold and hot patches in your home. It demonstrates that some areas of your home receive excessively warm or cool air while others don’t. Uneven heating and cooling sometimes result from poor air circulation in certain portions of your system. Have your air conditioner installation technician check the dampers and reconfigure your zoned HVAC system to ensure that your entire house is cooled or heated evenly.
Increased Air Pollution
The number of airborne pollutants within your Fort Worth, TX home may rise with high static pressure. In addition to cooling and heating your house, your HVAC system purifies the air. A filter will remove pollen, dust, and other contaminants when the blower circulates stale, hot air. A filter may receive less air if there is high static pressure. Levels of airborne contaminants will increase as less air passes through the filter. Hence, you shouldn’t disregard high static pressure. It may result in increased air pollution, inconsistent cooling, and greater cooling expenses. Whenever you notice this, you should have the zoned HVAC system checked and reconfigured by the air conditioner installation technician.
Could Make Your Zoned HVAC System Break Down
Excessive pressure in your zoned HVAC system might make some components of your air conditioner work harder than they have been designed to. This means that the zoned HVAC system might fail. You might have to stay without air conditioning before a heating and air conditioner installation technician repairs your unit.
Airflow Will Not Be Optimal
You will get a lot of airflow in the zone calling for air that might even start making you uncomfortable. Have you ever been relaxing on your couch and had your hands feel cold because the vent is directly pointed at your fingers?
You might get such a feeling. If you are experiencing this, immediately call an air conditioner installation and have them reconfigure the zoned system.
Because of these reasons, professional air conditioner installation technicians in Fort Worth, TX will never zone your single-stage system. However, you can still enjoy a zoned HVAC system. There are several measures your reliable air conditioner installation technician may implement to end those thermostat wars.
What Causes Static Pressure Problems in the Air Ducts?
During the air conditioner preventative maintenance, the installation technician will measure static pressure in two points of your unit. Doing so helps the technician zero in on where the airflow resistance is happening. Below is the common cause of high static pressure in your zoned HVAC system.
Undersized Air Returns
In general, undersized or badly built ducting increases static pressure. Static pressure issues might also result from inadequate air intake returns. Your heating and cooling system receives air from the spaces through air return ducts. It will be more difficult for the blower motor of the HVAC system to draw air into the HVAC unit to maintain the system circulating if you have inadequate air returns. Following the installation of new HVAC systems or the repair and sealing of air ducts, this issue becomes increasingly obvious. However, an air conditioner installation professional knows how to install the right-sized unit.
Problems with air conditioners might also result from inadequate air returns. A lack of sufficient return air will disrupt the refrigerant loop, which is necessary for air conditioning to circulate the refrigerant via your unit in a closed loop. With time, this condition could lead to significant problems like costly repairs and system failures. So, have an air conditioner installation technician inspect and measure the
Small or Dirty Coils
Airflow resistance is created when ductwork is clogged, which increases static pressure. More trash or dust within your ducts can inhibit balanced air passage. If an air conditioner installation technician installs small coils, they may generate static pressure concerns. In the same way, as inadequately sized air return valves impede airflow, so does a too-small coil.
In most cases, the coil is responsible for the transport of heat. During the colder months, the coil will warm the air, which will then be distributed throughout your Fort Worth, TX home. The refrigerant liquid responsible for transporting the heat from your living area evaporates throughout the year’s warmer months before traveling through the coil. This heat is transferred by the coil of the HVAC system so that the refrigerant can transform into a liquid state, then travel back through the unit to draw in further heat. Because of this, whenever there is a problem with the coil, there will also be an issue with the complete device.
Like the filter, the coil will generate some air resistance, but not nearly enough to cause any significant issues. If, on the other hand, the system’s coil gets soiled, that’s a completely new ballgame. Buildups of debris, dust, and other particles on the coils can impede air passage within the unit and the ductwork. Hence, it is recommended that an air conditioner installation technician clear the debris and dirt to ensure that the HVAC system is operating efficiently.
Clogged or Restrictive Air Filters
The air vents & ductwork in your Fort Worth, TX home are protected from allergies, dust, and other airborne pollutants thanks to the screens provided by the air filters that are installed in them. When air moves through the filter, the filter catches the particles and creates resistance to the flow of air. On the other hand, if you keep your filters the same for several months, they will become clogged, resulting in increased resistance. Investing in filters having a higher MERV score and maintaining a regular replacement schedule for those filters is the best way to avoid this problem.
Install HVAC Dampers To Ensure That Your Zoned HVAC System Is Running Appropriately
A technician should install dampers to ensure that the air conditioning system is appropriately functioning. They help control the air pressure within the air ducts. Are you experiencing high or low static pressure issues in your air conditioner? Contact us at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth.