How To Choose a Heating & Air Conditioning System

Installing a new heating and air conditioning system can be a major investment, so it’s important to choose your equipment wisely.

Some HVAC systems perform better than others in Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley’s cold winters and hot, humid summers. This guide will help you determine the best options for your home.

Understand Your Home’s Heating & Cooling Needs

A qualified HVAC installer will be needed to size and install the HVAC system. Manual J procedures from the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) should be used to calculate the proper system size, which will be specified in BTUs, or British Thermal Units, for easier comparison between equipment models.

Every home has unique heating and cooling requirements that depend on a variety of factors, which will inform the Manual J calculation:

Home Size & Layout

Home size is one of the most important, with larger homes requiring an HVAC system that can serve more square footage. This is especially true for two-story homes.

The layout and occupancy of your home can also affect HVAC calculations. Large, empty spaces take a lot of energy to heat and cool, while limiting output in rarely used areas can reduce your utility costs.

Home Insulation

Homes with more insulation will hold the temperature longer, allowing the HVAC system to shut down for longer periods between cycles, saving energy and money. Under-insulated homes will require more heating and cooling, which would drive up your utility bills.

Windows

The number and location of your windows can determine the amount of UV radiation and drafts that enter the home, affecting temperature and comfort:

South-facing windows can let more heat in year-round, which can be beneficial in the winter but counterproductive in the summer. Windows on opposite sides of a room can create a cross-breeze, reducing air conditioner usage.

Compare HVAC System Types & Their Pros & Cons

Several types of heating and cooling systems are commonly used in Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley area.

For our colder climate, furnaces and boilers offer the most cost-effective and efficient heating, although cold-climate heat pumps are a great alternative. Central ACs can be excellent for cooling, but ductless mini-splits offer the highest efficiency, and they’re perfect for homes that don’t already have AC.

Here’s an overview of each for a more in-depth comparison:

Furnaces

Ideal for heating in cold climates, gas furnaces use heated air to keep your home comfortable, and they can be over 98% efficient, with basic models starting at about $3,800 and high-efficiency models ranging from $10,000 to $15,000, plus installation costs.

The installation process can be complex for new homes, requiring gas, electrical, and flue connections, as well as a full air duct system. Heating replacements are significantly less complex.

Boilers

Gas boilers transport heat more efficiently than furnaces throughout your home by heating water instead of air. However, they require additional infrastructure like circulation pumps, piping, radiators, baseboard heaters, or in-floor heating.

They offer similar efficiency to gas furnaces, but they have a more complex installation process. Prices range from about $4,000 for basic models up to $10,000 for high-efficiency models, plus installation.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps use the refrigerant cycle, similar to an air conditioner, that can be reversed as needed to provide both heating and cooling in one system. Because they move heat from place to place, rather than create it, heat pumps are very efficient. However, in cold weather, they may need supplemental heat unless you choose a system designed explicitly for cold climates.

Heat pumps range from $8,000 to $15,000, plus installation. The process is relatively complex, with indoor and outdoor units that must be connected via refrigerant lines, electrical cables, and ductwork.

Air Conditioners

Designed for cooling only, central air conditioners are often installed alongside furnaces, allowing them to share the same ductwork, blower fan, and cabinet. They provide efficient cooling, with a similar installation process to a heat pump.

Costs range from about $1,500 to $5,000 for the AC itself, plus installation, with an additional $2,000 to $4,000 required to install stand-alone ductwork, if needed.

Ductless Mini-Splits

Ductless HVAC systems are heat pumps without ductwork, providing AC or both heating and cooling in a compact, easy-to-install package. Ductless systems typically feature one condenser unit outside with one or more air handlers inside, serving a single room, a new addition, a few rooms, or your entire home.

They’re very efficient, and they range in price from about $1,000 to $5,000 plus installation, with a variety of air handler styles to choose from.

Consider Energy Efficiency Ratings

The efficiency of your HVAC equipment can play a huge role in your monthly heating and cooling bills. More efficient systems will cost less to operate and can reduce your carbon footprint and your impact on the environment.

There are three rating systems that help you compare the efficiency of heating and cooling systems:

• AFUE: The annual fuel utilization efficiency represents the amount of fuel that’s converted to heat as a percentage of fuel consumed annually. Basic boilers and furnaces have AFUE ratings of about 80%, while the most efficient models can reach an AFUE of 98% or higher.
• SEER: The seasonal energy efficiency ratio represents the amount of electricity needed to keep your home cool over the typical air conditioning season. Using more accurate estimations, the SEER2 system is now used for all new AC installations, with basic models rated at a minimum of 13.4 SEER2 in Pennsylvania and the most efficient models rated at 20 SEER2 or above.
• HSPF: Short for heating seasonal performance factor, this represents the amount of heat produced for each kilowatt of electricity. A new rating system, HSPF2, offers more realistic estimations. For Pennsylvania homes, basic heat pumps must have an HSPF2 of 6.7, while the most efficient models approach an HSPF2 of 10.

By choosing the most efficient HVAC system that’s within your budget, you can enjoy long-term energy savings and significantly lower heating and cooling costs for the life of the equipment.

Consider Installation & Maintenance Costs

If you’d like to protect your investment and ensure that your HVAC equipment lasts as long as possible, always choose a licensed, professional HVAC contractor for your HVAC installation.

They have the tools, equipment, and knowledge to get the job done right and will ensure that your heating and cooling system is as reliable and efficient as possible. You can expect to pay anywhere from $5,000 to $16,000 for the installation, plus equipment costs, with some specialty systems costing more.

Factor in Smart Features & Modern Controls

Consider adding features like smart thermostats or HVAC zoning to make your HVAC system more useful, efficient, and easier to control.

Intelligent controls like smart thermostats allow you to easily program your HVAC system while controlling it remotely through Wi-Fi or mobile devices. They can also integrate with your home automation system to do things like automatically adjust to the weather, home occupancy, or your unique schedule.

If you’d like to keep different rooms at different temperatures, consider adding zoning capabilities to your HVAC system. With zoning, comfort levels in each room or zone can be individually tailored, and unused rooms can have heating or cooling reduced to save energy.

Both smart thermostats and zoning systems can greatly improve your comfort while boosting your home’s energy efficiency and reducing your utility costs.

Schedule HVAC Installation in Pennsylvania & the Delaware Valley

When you need an experienced team to install a new HVAC system in Chester, Delaware, New Castle, Bucks, or Montgomery County, talk to our experts at Len The Plumber Heating & Air.

We guarantee a high-quality experience with service from highly trained technicians, upfront pricing, industry-leading guarantees, and financing options on approved credit.

Contact us today to schedule your HVAC installation or replacement in Pennsylvania or the Delaware Valley.