If Your Furnace Isn’t Properly Sized, You’re in for Some Problems
There is a long list of different considerations that need to be taken into account when selecting a furnace. In general, homeowners are pretty good about considering all the various factors and how they affect the furnace. One factor that often gets ignored, though, is size. The size of a furnace matters quite a bit, and not just in the sense that it has to fit in whatever space you have available. If you get a furnace that is too large or too small, you could be dealing with a whole lot of issues later on. Let’s take a look at some of those problems now.
Oversized Furnaces
Furnaces are supposed to provide heat in cycles, circulating more heat when they first start up and then leveling off once the target temperature is reached. If the furnace is too large, though, it will never be able to complete a full heating cycle. The target temperature will be reached more quickly, and the thermostat will shut down the system. This is called short cycling, and it puts an immense amount of strain on the system that it wasn’t designed to handle. Eventually, this causes the system to break down completely.
Undersized Furnace
An undersized furnace doesn’t put out enough heat to reach the target temperature easily, which forces it to stay on for longer than it is supposed to. Prolonged operation like this has a similar effect to short cycling, putting increased stress on the furnace and making it far more likely for parts to start breaking down. This will inevitably shorten the life of the system.
If you need help properly sizing your furnace before installation, call PRK Services, Inc. We offer a full range of furnace services throughout Corinth, TX.