3 Signs You Have an Oversized Split Air Conditioner in Your Home

Posted on: 29 June 2021

Proper sizing of a residential air conditioner is the key to achieving optimal comfort and energy efficiency. A small split AC unit may fail to cool a home efficiently; therefore, most homeowners are always keen to buy a bigger unit for their needs. But did you know that an oversized air conditioner is just as bad as an undersized one? Buying a system that is too big for your home can do more harm than good. Look out for the following signs that indicate you have an oversized split air conditioner.

Uncomfortable Indoor Temperatures

An oversized split air conditioner is one whose cooling capacity exceeds your needs. When you turn on the AC, the unit cools your home rapidly. To achieve indoor comfort, a properly sized AC gradually lowers the temperatures. It also promotes even air circulation in all the conditioned spaces. Therefore, there is even cooling throughout the home. 

However, when the unit is bigger than what you need, it cools down the rooms fast without allowing enough time for proper air circulation. This leads to warm spots in the house and causes discomfort. Therefore, if you find yourself constantly readjusting the thermostats, you may have an oversized unit.

Excess Indoor Humidity

Warm air is more humid than cold air. When your AC draws warm air from the house, it removes the excess humidity as well. The humid air passes over the cool air handler's evaporator coil. When warm air hits the cold coil, the humidity in the air turns into condensate and is drained from the home through the condensate line. A properly sized AC should not only cool the air but also get rid of excess moisture.

If your AC is too big for your home, it cools the space too fast. Therefore, there isn't enough contact between the air and the coils to allow for humidity removal. The unit may only remove a little humidity, and even then, the condensation may not be enough to drain into the condensate line. Therefore, the moisture gets trapped within the system and recirculates into the house. High humidity can affect indoor comfort and promote mold growth in the system.

Frequent Breakdowns

An oversized split air conditioner may cycle on and off too frequently. Instead of doing 20-minute cycles, the unit may turn on and off at intervals of ten minutes or less. As the AC cycles, the compressor system turns on and off prematurely. This behavior can cause the compressor, motor, and other key components to wear prematurely. Short cycling may also lead to overheating and cause the breaker to trip often.

An oversized split air conditioner can affect indoor comfort and cost you money in repairs. Contact an AC contractor if you suspect you have an improperly sized air conditioning system.

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