When we tell customers to rely on licensed professionals for their air conditioning services, it’s not just because we want the job. Of course, we want homeowners who need AC help to hire us, but we also know how poorly amateur work can go. This is especially true when it comes to installing a new air conditioner. Amateurs will make big promises of doing the job at a low cost, but you’ll end up paying a high price for their inferior, hasty work. Letting non-professionals install an air conditioner can go wrong in several ways…
Incorrect sizing
This is the biggest risk you take when you hand over an AC installation to an amateur. Sizing an air conditioner means determining how powerful the system is, and it needs to be precise. This is not a place for “guesstimates,” which is what most non-pros do. An AC that’s too small for a home obviously won’t do the job, but most of the time amateurs will put in a system that’s too powerful because they a) think that will work fine, and b) can charge more for the unit. An oversized air conditioner is just as bad as an undersized one because it will waste power as it starts to short-cycle, rapidly turning on and off again over a short time.
When you work with us for an AC installation in Newberry, FL, we’ll take the time to perform a proper load calculation for your house. This calculation will tell us exactly how powerful (in cooling tons) your new AC must be for comfort and energy savings.
Too little/too much refrigerant
A technician must have special licensing to handle refrigerant—something amateurs rarely possess. The reason this is important (aside from the proper use of environmentally toxic substances) is that a licensed technician will know the right charge of refrigerant to put into the AC upon installation. The refrigerant charge must be at a specific factory-set amount or else the air conditioner won’t run correctly. An undercharged or overcharged AC will provide subpar cooling, higher energy bills, and its compressor will soon burn out.
Poor condenser placement
Placing the condenser unit outside the house is one of the most labor-intensive parts of an AC installation. The condenser must have a foot of clearance on all sides for the exhaust of heat and sit on a level concrete slab. Amateurs frequently place the condenser too near to the side of the house or try to make it look more appealing by hiding it behind bushes and plants. They may also do a bad job with the concrete slab, causing the AC to start to tilt as the slab sinks, which can ruin the system.
Bad Ductwork Connections
In the rush to get a job done as fast as possible, amateurs often skimp on properly connecting the ductwork to the new AC unit. This will lead to an air conditioner with air leaks that wastes power, makes noises, and doesn’t cool correctly.
You can count on our team to have your AC installation done right the first time.
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