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For non HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) professionals, there is the general misconception that the bigger the size of the HVAC system, the more efficient it is. This is mostly as a result of the 'bigger is better' mentality that runs through a lot of psyches when it comes to homes and cars. However, in order for an HVAC system to perform optimally and efficiently, it needs to be properly sized.

When it comes to HVAC systems, sizing refers to the cooling capacity of the system and not how large the container housing the components is. A system that is too small will not run efficiently. The result of systems that are too small for the space they are supposed to heat or cool is discomfort as it would not produce enough heat or cold air to make the space comfortable. A system that is oversized on the other hand comes with its own unique set of problems. An oversized system does not run at optimal capacity and uses up more energy than it should.

To combat this, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) came up with a minimum standard to use in measuring the efficiency of an HVAC system. This rating is called the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rate (SEER) rating and is used to gauge how efficient a system is. The minimum rating for systems is 10. There are a lot of systems in the market which surpass this standard with SEER ratings of 14 and above. While these are high efficiency systems, they will not necessarily conserve energy if they are used for smaller spaces than they were intended. In fact, the contrary is the case. The proper sizing of an HVAC system cannot be overemphasized.

To properly size a system, the space which is to be cooled or heated would need to be calculated; the size of the ventilation ducts would also need to be calculated. More than just the space involved is the outside temperature as a hotter climate would require a higher cooling capacity than one which is not so hot.

When an HVAC system is properly sized, it has the advantage of saving the owner in energy costs. Generally, even though HVAC systems are more expensive to install than other cooling systems particularly in a building that has no existing ductwork, if properly installed the monthly energy costs are vastly lower. One problem which large sized systems have is the noise level. The general rule is that the larger the system, the noisier it is. So having a large system especially when the house does not require one can be uncomfortable for the occupants and the neighbors.

Before an HVAC system is installed in any building, an expert should go through the building in order to calculate the space needed so as to determine the size of system that would be used.