All About Static Pressure From Your Reliable AC Repair Company | Paradise Valley, AZ
While air conditioning systems play a critical role in ensuring the comfort of your home, they are usually exposed to numerous problems that make their functioning inefficient. Whenever this happens, your home will not be sufficiently heated or cooled. Additionally, the HVAC system will use more energy than it usually does, taking a toll on your finances. For this reason, it is recommended that you have a routine air conditioning service done by a reputable AC repair company in Paradise Valley, AZ. One of these issues that can result in improper heating and reduced air flow at your home is static pressure. Do you know what static pressure is? If you don’t or would want to know more about it, you are at the right place.
What is Static Pressure in an HVAC System?
HVAC static pressure refers to the airflow resistance within your unit’s air ducts. For the heating and cooling system to work correctly, it should push air via the ductwork with a higher intensity than the static pressure levels within the ducts. If an HVAC system doesn’t meet this requirement, then the flow of air will be affected. Hence, ensure that an AC repair company measures the static pressure in the air ducts when they come for a maintenance service.
Your heating and air conditioning system depends on the air ducts to distribute the conditioned air throughout your home. With a proper air duct system, the air conditioning unit can heat or cool your home as required. Thus, you must ensure that you hire an experienced, reputable AC repair company when installing the air ducts. However, enough ducts provide even and consistent temperatures at your home. The better indoor air circulation, the higher the comfort your HVAC system provides. It also means that cleaner air will be distributed throughout your home.
How is Static Pressure in the HVAC System Measured?
Just like with your blood pressure, there is an acceptable range for HVAC static pressure too. It should always stay within certain recommended levels. Too high or too low static pressure means that your HVAC system has an underlying issue that requires the attention of an AC repair company in Paradise Valley, AZ. Unfortunately, you cannot measure the static pressure in your system by yourself. It is recommended that you hire a skilled HVAC professional for the job. When they come to measure the static pressure, the HVAC technician will drill a few test ports and insert a manometer into the air ducts.
A manometer is a device that measures static pressure in your air ducts. The pressure is measured in inches/ water column (in WC). An ideal HVAC system should have a pressure of 0.5 in WC. However, if the static pressure in your HVAC system is lower than 0.9 in WC, the system is still within an acceptable range. A higher value than that means that the system will have a weaker airflow due to the strong static pressure. In such a case, the AC repair company will recommend adjustments to lower the pressure.
How Does HVAC Static Pressure Impact Airflow?
In modern systems, too low or too high static pressure is a sign that the air ducts aren’t sized properly, or the HVAC system is too small or too large. If you have been using your HVAC system for a while, and airflow issues develop suddenly, that could be a sign that your system has high static pressure. High static pressure will result in reduced airflow at your home. This means that your indoor system will not be sufficiently cooled or warmed. Additionally, the HVAC system could strain to pump the air against the static pressure, resulting in high energy consumption and utility bills. Have you installed a zoned HVAC system? Is the zoning damper stuck in the closed position? That is one of the things that could result in high static pressure. Hence, you should ensure that the AC repair company measures the static pressure to determine if you have good airflow.
How Do You Prevent HVAC Static Pressure Problems?
Selecting an AC repair company that performs a thorough inspection of your entire HVAC system, including all HVAC system components—the air conditioner, furnace, heat pump, and air ducts—is your first step in averting static pressure issues. Finding the recommended static pressure is a critical step in ensuring that you can regulate it. If you want to know if your ducting is appropriate, have an HVAC contractor perform a complete load estimate. A ductulator that computes airflow can also be used for duct calculation.
High vs. Low HVAC Static Pressure
An improperly sized HVAC system is the cause for either too low or overtly high static pressure. If an air conditioner is large, it could be too powerful, resulting in high static pressure in the air ducts. On the other hand, if the appliance is too small, it will not be able to pump sufficient air via the air ducts into your home, leaving you uncomfortable. This is why it is recommended that you consult your reliable AC repair company in Paradise Valley, AZ, before purchasing a unit for advice on HVAC sizing and to conduct a load test.
The air flowing from your air vents will not have enough force. Poor duct design, clogged or restrictive air filters, adding new rooms in your home, and stuck dampers in a zoned system are some of the other issues that could cause incorrect static pressure. According to Energy.gov, almost 50% of all HVAC systems installed in homes within the US need to be correctly sized. That means that nearly half of all homes with an air conditioning system have an imbalanced static pressure. Don’t be just another statistic. Enlist an AC repair company for AC and duct work installation to avoid these issues.
Call Us!
Are you experiencing airflow issues? Contact us at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Phoenix for an inspection and solutions.
