Buying a new heating and cooling system can be a daunting task. Most of us are not well versed in the ins and outs of various HVAC systems and have to rely at least somewhat on our contractor’s experience when choosing a new heating system for our home or business. Finding a company you can really trust can be a daunting task. It can help to choose an HVAC company that is experienced, recommended by others and has a proven track record with reliability and customer satisfaction. But sometimes even well meaning and experienced HVAC contractors may not have the best advice when it comes to Ductless Heat Pumps.
It is not atypical for heating and cooling contractors to “size up” when in any doubt of your home’s demands. This means they might recommend a larger system than your home may need, thinking that at least you will be covered if temperatures reach extremes and both you and they are then protected. It also puts a little more money in their account, to have you purchase a larger, more expensive, system. We have actually seen this happen more often than we would like with other contractors in our area, and although usually no one means harm, it is a bad idea.
Sizing up can be a big mistake when choosing a Ductless Heat Pump. First, it costs more initially. Larger units just cost more to purchase, and we can’t imagine anyone wants to spend more on their Ductless Heat Pump System than they have to. An over-sized air handler can also result in something called “short cycling” which not only wastes energy, but also does not provide the proper temperature or humidity control. So you are looking at higher upfront costs, higher operation costs and decreased comfort. Not a great outcome, and a sure recipe for disappointment.
Well meaning installers may also place the indoor head incorrectly. They may not really understand how air flows from the system and in your particular home. Learning how to properly place the air handler can take some experience with Ductless Systems in particular. Improper placement is often a harmless mistake, but can have significant effects. An incorrectly located air handler can contribute to the above mentioned short cycling. As we already learned, something best avoided.
At Alpine, Ductless Heat Pumps are all we do. We believe we do a good job of sizing our systems to your home or office and to the Northwest climate’s typical moderate temperatures. Each and every one of our employees has a Ductless System operating in their own homes because we believe that we should really understand what we are selling. We understand how these systems operate in our local conditions because we live with Ductless Heat Pumps every day, in every season.
Finally, we are also always conscious about potential over-sizing and incorrect placement and will not hesitate to let you know what size system we feel will suit your needs best and where we recommend locating it. We will not try to sell you a system that is too big for your space. We want you to save money on your bills, have the most efficient system possible and be comfortable. That is kind of the point here, isn’t it?
We sell these systems because we believe in them, not because they are trendy. Our goal is to make you happy, not to have you overspend on your new system.