Use this Trane System Customizer to help find the right Trane system for you.

A load calculation determines what the proper size system is for your specific home. It factors in a number of criteria used to determine what size components you should include as part of your total comfort system; things like square footage, number of windows, and year-round weather concerns.

Many homes have systems that are oversized, so you end up paying more than you should to heat and cool your home. Also, systems that are improperly sized tend to cycle too quickly or too slowly, and that can lead to maintenance problems, uneven temperatures, and an inability to control humidity.

According to TRANE, oversized air conditioning systems will not remove adequate moisture from the indoor air due to short cycling. Also, oversized systems quickly cool the indoor air temperature, but they do not run long enough to remove the humidity.

One 3.5 ton has been installed on the main living floor, while a 3 ton unit has been installed in the loft area.

This is how a dual-fuel system works: the primary source of heat is from the heat pump system that removes heat from the air outside and brings it into the conditioned space. Heat pumps perform poorly when the outside air temperature drops below about 40 degrees F and must have a supplemental form of heat for the space

Dual-fuel systems operate with a fossil fuel heating system when the outside air temperature falls below a pre-set point, that activates a thermostat sensor to switch the systems, and removes the heat pump from operation. The fossil fuel system becomes the primary heat source. Once the outside air temp rises above that original setpoint, the heat pump becomes primary heat once again.

The system will cycle between the two heat sources as needed to provide a constant heat source.