We have all heard that bigger is better, but in commercial HVAC, buying an oversized system for your building can create significant issues. In this blog, we are going to look at some of the reasons why you should avoid buying the biggest unit on the market for your building and why right-sizing your HVAC system to your building’s demands is the smarter plan for building owners who know what they are doing.
Frequent Unit Cycling
When you purchase and install a larger HVAC unit than you need, it will do what we call short cycling. This means your heating and cooling system will keep turning on and off to maintain the temperature, since demand isn't high enough for continuous operation. On the surface, this might seem fine, but short cycling can wear out parts faster, increase operating costs, and create less comfortable conditions for your employees or tenants.
Increased breakdowns
Short cycling is common with HVAC units that are too big for the building, and it's linked to more breakdowns than you'd think. As the system constantly kicks on and off throughout the day, wear and tear on parts increases exponentially when compared to right-sized units, which operate continuously. This increased wear and tear means your repair bills will rise, and downtime will become a regular occurrence, which can lead to rising tensions with tenants or employees.
Noisy Conditions
No one likes to hear the hum of an AC unit or a furnace igniting for the first time on repeat. With an oversized system, complaints can rise as tenants and employees notice the unit cycling multiple times throughout the day. It is not just a one-time thing, and it can actually become an irritant over time, which no one wants to deal with and is only solvable by replacing the unit with one that is properly sized for your building’s demands.
Humidity Problems
In a place like ours, humidity is one of those issues every commercial and multifamily business has to deal with. Commercial air conditioners are designed to control moisture in your building, and installing a unit that's too large can actually cause indoor humidity to skyrocket. The reason is simple: an AC unit naturally draws humidity out of the building, but if it constantly cycles and can't keep up, humidity rises and comfort drops.
Increased Utility Bills
In the current market and economic environment, most business owners are looking for ways to cut costs and save money, but a larger-than-you-need HVAC system will do the opposite for your building. The reason for this is that the system will turn on and off more often than a properly sized unit; you will see higher costs from the multiple start-ups each hour. System start-ups are the most demanding in terms of gas usage, and you will see higher usage and costs than you would have with a properly sized system from the start.
Higher Upfront Costs
Not only is your system not the right fit for your building, but because it’s larger, you'll pay a higher upfront capital cost to purchase the unit. This isn't a great deal, as you will end up paying more for a system that won't do its job and will cost more to operate and maintain than a right-sized unit.
Reduced Lifespan of the Unit
Capital expenses are meant to be long-term, but buying an improperly sized HVAC unit can push those long-term expenses further out. This is because, as the unit starts and stops more than a right-sized unit, its lifespan shortens over time. Generally, a commercial HVAC unit has a 15- to 20-year lifespan, but we have seen oversized units in commercial buildings operate for as little as 10 years.
When it comes time to select the right-sized heating and cooling unit for your commercial or multifamily building, you'll want to work with a company that knows how to make the proper calculations to find the right-sized unit for your needs. These calculations are called a Manual J load analysis and take a true HVAC expert to get it right. With a right-sized unit, you can enjoy proper heating and cooling that keeps your building comfortable without costing you thousands of dollars per week. Whether you are in Toledo, Ann Arbor, or anywhere else in our service area, Fry is your Guy to make sure you find the right HVAC system for your needs and avoid the issues that come with buying the biggest commercial heating and cooling system on the market.
