Choosing the right air conditioner size is essential to getting your HVAC system working effectively and keeping your home comfortable. It also helps reduce your energy consumption and utility bills, making your home more energy efficient overall.
First, measure the square footage of your home. You can do this by looking at your property tax statement or contacting the county auditor’s office.
1. Measure Your Home’s Square Footage
The square footage of your home is one of the most important factors to consider when selecting the right air conditioner size. It is especially crucial if you’re buying or selling your home.
The first step to determining the right air conditioner size for your home is to measure it. This process can be done using a tape measure or an electronic device.
A handy tip: When measuring, make sure to measure each room separately. This will help you avoid adding areas that don’t count towards the overall square footage.
For instance, don’t forget to measure your closets and pantries when calculating the overall square footage of your home.
Once you’ve figured out the overall square footage, you can calculate the BTUs needed to cool your home. Ultimately, you’ll need to talk with an HVAC expert about how much tonnage is needed for your specific climate zone demands.
2. Calculate Your Home’s BTU Needs
Choosing the right size air conditioner is vital to ensuring your home is comfortable. A system that is too small will work too hard, while a unit that is too large can overheat your house.
Fortunately, there are plenty of tools to help you figure out what AC size your home needs. The most accurate method is to have an HVAC professional perform a Manual J calculation for your home.
The calculation takes into account your home’s square footage, climate zone, ductwork design and condition, and more. It also accounts for sun exposure, the number and style of windows, and the presence of heat-generating appliances in your home.
Based on these calculations, you can estimate how many BTUs your home needs to stay cool or warm at a desired temperature. Once you’ve determined this, it’s easy to shop around and find an AC unit that fits the bill.
3. Determine Your Home’s Load
The right size air conditioner can save you money on your energy bills. An undersized unit will have to work twice as hard to cool your home, which will increase your electricity bill and possibly shorten its lifespan.
In order to determine the right size for your home, you need to know how much load it can carry. There are a few methods that will help you to do this.
One is a Manual J calculation, which takes all the factors into consideration to provide you with an accurate final decision.
It’s also possible to find an AC calculator online, which will give you a fairly good idea of what your home needs in terms of BTUs and cooling capacity. But if you want the most precise and thorough solution, you need a professional to do the calculations.
4. Find the Right AC
The right sized air conditioner will help your home stay cool, dehumidified and comfortable. Choosing the wrong size can cause many problems such as hotspots, uneven cooling and increased energy costs.
Whether you’re replacing an existing unit or shopping for a new one, it’s important to choose the right AC size. Just like Goldilocks, bigger isn’t always better!
A reputable HVAC dealer will be able to accurately measure and calculate your home’s load to ensure you get the correct sized air conditioner for your space.
AC units come in a variety of sizes and ratings from 1 ton to 5 tons. The rating is based on how much heat the AC can remove in an hour.
