Going for an air conditioner that isn’t suitable for your home can be a frustrating error. It could be an oversized or undersized AC, but either way it won’t serve you right.
A bigger air conditioner can have an overflow enough to make your home chillier than it would be comfortable. On the other hand, an undersized one may not cool your home as much as you need to combat the heat.
What size air conditioner do I need?
The million-dollar question. Understanding the varieties of AC sizes and which is convenient for your home is the first step to take before contacting an HVAC service and getting one installed.
Here’s a quick guide to AC sizes and how to determine the perfect size for your home:
System sizing
The size of your air conditioner has to fit properly in your residence’s load calculation. You’ll have to perform a residential check, ‘The Residential Load Calculation’. This helps you figure out how many appliances your residence can take and the appropriate voltage of your AC.
Manual J calculation
This is another alternative. The Manual J calculation is an expanse sizing device with many factors. It checks your home’s square footage, climate zone, ductwork, natural shade or sunlight, and more.
Square footage measurements
Getting the square footage of your home’s measurements, especially if your home is small to medium-sized, is a guide to identifying the BTUs needed to run your air conditioner. This is a more practical approach to figuring out your ideal AC size, and a great way to answer what size air conditioner do I need.
Simply multiply the length and the width of the room in question. You can multiply the resulting figure by the adequate BTU. Whatever figure you end up with is the BTU cooling capacity you’ll need for that room.
What are British Thermal Units (BTUs)?
Your air conditioner works with how much cooling you need for your home. For optimal cooling, an AC needs about 20 BTUs for every sq. ft. of the room.
Different ACs have different BTUs. For instance, a typical window unit has a cooling strength of 5,000 to 12,500 BTUs per hour.
A 100-200sq. ft. room needs a 4,000 BTU AC while a 24,000 BTU AC is recommended for a room as big as 1,000 to 1,200 sq. ft. Perhaps you could use this as a guide to making an informed estimate for your home.
Once you’ve done this, you can go ahead and make a decision.
Choosing the right AC size
At this point, you’re probably done with the checks and measurements. All you’ve got to do is meet with the HVAC service dealer. Let them know the features of your preferred unit so that you get the perfect one.
Answering “what size air conditioner do I need?” sounds straightforward, but this can be a rather tough decision. Not to worry. Simply reach out to Triad Mechanical for all the help you need here.
At Triad Mechanical, we offer 24/7 HVAC service delivery with a team of experienced HVAC service professionals available to meet you at the point of your needs; repairs and maintenance, and more.
We’ll also help you determine the perfect AC size for your home. For optimal HVAC services, contact us now at Triad Mechanical.com or by calling 770-682-0075.