What size System

When it comes to your heating and air conditioning system, bigger isn't always better, and smaller isn't always more economical.

A system that is too large will cool or heat your house quickly, but you still may not feel comfortable. That's because it will satisfy the thermostat before it can adequately remove sufficient moisture from the air - which is what makes you feel so sticky and uncomfortable in summer. What's more, the stress of short cycling (too many starts and stops) will shorten the life of your equipment and increase your heating and air conditioning bills.

On the other hand, a system that is too small just cannot get the job done. The air conditioner will run constantly in the summer and the furnace will do the same in winter - which may overtax your system and increase your energy costs.

We can determine the correct system size needed for your home by doing a room-by-room load calculation. This heat loss/heat gain analysis is the best indicator of the correct system size.

A Trane EarthWise� Hybrid Split System combines a high efficiency electric Heat Pump with a variable speed Gas Furnace.

With the flexibility of two energy sources, the system can actually optimize your utility use by switching back and forth to whichever source is most efficient for your comfort.

How EarthWise� Hybrid Split Systems work

A hybrid system is one that's capable of heating your home using either electricity or fossil fuel. A Trane EarthWise� Hybrid system combines an XLi electric heat pump with a variable speed gas or oil furnace for ultimate efficiency.

With the flexibility of two fuels, the system can actually optimize your energy use by switching back and forth to whichever source is most efficient for your comfort.

Even in northern climates, the electric heat pump can find enough ambient heat in the air to keep your home warm and comfortable well into fall. But when there's not enough ambient heat and a fossil fuel becomes the most efficient option, the system will switch to either natural gas or heating oil for the toasty, cozy heat of a furnace. The system's switch point is set automatically by your dealer, but can be overridden with the Comfort Control Module.

When winter ends and warm temperatures return, the heat pump will reverse its operation; instead of finding ambient heat in the air, it will pull the heat our of your home and radiate it outside. The furnace won't ignite, but will instead serve as a variable-speed blower to move the cooled air produced by the heat pump. This year-long efficiency is what makes Trane EarthWise� Hybrids such a smart choice.