What Size Ac Unit Do I Need

What Size Air Conditioner Do I Demand?

DIY Calculations for Ballparking Air conditioning Size

The first is an equation for square footage and required tonnage. Tonnage refers to your air conditioner'south power to cool a infinite. One ton is the power of your air conditioner to cool 12,000 BTUs in an 60 minutes.1

The basic equation for figuring out what tonnage your new air conditioner volition require is

( ( House square footage times 30 and then divided by 12,000 ) – 1.0 ) = Required Tonnage

For example, let's say your home is 1,400 square anxiety. Here's the calculation:

(i,400 ten xxx / 12,000) - 1 = ii.5 tons

Then, for this, you would demand a 2.5-ton air conditioner.

Where you lot live affects this formula besides. If you live in a very hot, barren region such as a desert in the southwest, don't subtract ane.2

14,000 x xxx /12,000 = 3.5 tons

Information technology's no surprise that you'll need a heftier air conditioner to convert hot air to cold in the desert and especially warm regions of the U.South.

Another option would be to add in the values of your dwelling house's width, length, tiptop, basic insulation info, and desired temperature adjustment into this BTU figurer.

You can likewise get a pretty good crude thought of the required size of your air conditioning by referring to an air workout square footage range by climate zone map. This map breaks the U.Southward. downwards into zones that correspond to full general guidelines for required Ac tonnage.

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By finding your habitation's square footage nether the right zone column, you'll get a quick glance at what size air conditioner you lot might need.

Manual J Calculation for Your Home Air Conditioner

Remember that complex calculation we talked about before? For the most accurate and reliable resources on the best size air conditioner for your home, it's best to get a professional opinion. This is good news anyway since you don't accept to do the math yourself.

Check to see if your utility company offers a free free energy inspect.4 This will give you what is known every bit a Manual J Calculation for your home.

A Manual J Adding is a complex adding performed by an HVAC professional to determine the amount of hot air that comes in through exterior walls in warmer months. The calculation takes all contributing factors into account including the thermal characteristics of each wall, window, door, and even flooring and ceilings.

It as well accounts for load calculations by weighing in factors such as where the home is located geographically (which zone), where the house sits in relation to the sun, ductwork, lighting, appliances, and how many people will add their natural body heat to the home's air by living inside.5

This used to be quite the procedure and took a chip of time to complete. Still, new software makes it far easier and less time-consuming. In fact, an HVAC professional can now assimilate all of this dwelling house construction information using property tax records that provide information on building code guidelines for your area.

Existence able to combine all of this information in a program chop-chop gives the technician a highly accurate Manual J Calculation determining your optimal air conditioner size.

Depending on the available tools and tape-keeping, a home inspection of i kind or some other may exist necessary, but won't be invasive or time-consuming. It'south worth putting in a bit more effort up front to brand sure you take an air conditioner that meets your cooling needs without maxing out your energy bill.

Read more ideas for keeping your electricity bill low, and how installing solar tin help hither.

Endnotes

https://www.nwnatural.com/uploadedFiles/ConnectToGas/StepsToGetGas/FAQ/FAQs_The_Definition_of_Cool.pdf
https://www.resourcesforlife.com/docs/item15580
https://asm-air.com/airconditioning/what-size-fundamental-air-conditioner-for-my-firm/
https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/domicile-energy-audits/professional-abode-energy-audits
https://www.proudgreenhome.com/news/can-you-do-a-manual-j-hvac-calculation-in-less-than-60-seconds/