Last updated on August 27th, 2024 at 06:15 pm
When you think about making your home comfortable and energy efficient, the size of your AC unit may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But, the reality is that the right air conditioner can impact both the comfort levels and energy efficiency rating of your home.
Every home is different, so there is no perfect formula to choose the best AC unit. Instead, you have to take your household’s needs into account and get a cooling solution that is suitable for your whole family.
Let’s take a look at 3 steps you should take to identify the right AC size for your property.
1. Set Your Budget
The first step you need to take is to decide how much money you want to spend on your AC. Here, it’s important to note that the cost of an AC unit can vary depending on your location, so it’s worth doing some digging to check prices in your area.
For instance, adding a new AC unit with ductwork in Washington can cost more than $12,000, while the same project would have a price tag of $20,000 in Texas.
Not sure how to set a budget for your air conditioner? Book a consultation with our experts and get an AC unit of the perfect size for your home today.
2. Measure the Square Footage of Your Home
Next, you need to measure the square footage of your home. If you have access to the property deed or similar documentation, you may be able to find the measurements there.
If you have a rectangular property, you can easily calculate the square footage by multiplying the width by the length of your home.
For example, if your house is 50 feet wide by 30 feet long, the formula would look like this:
50 ft x 30 ft = 1500 ft2
In this example, the square footage of your home is 1500 ft2.
How do I calculate what size air conditioner I need?
As a general rule of thumb, you should estimate around 20 BTUs to cool down each square foot of space. As such, you can use the simple formula of square footage x 20 = BTU measurement. The above measurements also translate to roughly 1 ton of cooling capacity for a 700 square meter(? Meter or foot everything else is talking about square footage) home.
How many BTU do I need for a 20 ft x 20 ft room?
If you want to cool down a room that is 400 square feet, you can use the formula referenced in the question above.
The math would look like this:
400 (square footage) x 20 (BTUs) = 8,000 (BTUs)
So, you will need 8,000 BTUs of cooling power to cool down a room that’s 20 feet by 20 feet. If you still have questions feel free to contact Paragon, our team of heating and cooling experts will be glad to help.
3. Additional Factors to Consider
From SEER ratings to BTU measurements, there are many factors that influence the size of your AC unit.
Here are some elements you want to keep in mind when choosing an air conditioner.
- Climate and geographical location
- Potential air leakage
- Number of rooms in the property
- Indoor humidity levels
- Ceiling height (rooms with high ceilings are harder to heat)
- Large windows and areas of large heat gain or loss
Your air conditioning expert can also help you check all of these elements and make sure you get the right AC unit installed on your property.
Why Does the Size of Your AC Unit Matter?
When it comes to your air conditioner, the size of your unit will directly impact how well it can cool your home.
If your AC unit is too small for the square footage of your property, it may struggle to keep the home cool to the temperature desired.
Fortunately, you can rely on our team of cooling experts to help you choose the best unit. Book a consultation with our experts and get an air conditioner of the perfect size for your home today.
Tips to Choose the Best Air Conditioner Unit
Let’s take a look at 3 practical tips that can help you choose the right AC unit size for your home.
- You should plan for regular maintenance as this will extend the lifetime of your AC unit
- Insulation affects your AC, so make sure your home is properly insulated before installing a new unit
- Always choose energy-efficient ACs, they tend to last longer and have a better performance
To Wrap Up
Choosing the best AC unit for your home will not only save you money in terms of the purchase, but you will also enjoy lower energy bills that keep costs low in the long run.
As long as you set your budget, measure the size of your home properly, and speak to a leading AC installation company in your area, you should be able to find the right unit for your home.
Book a consultation with our experts and get an AC unit of the perfect size for your home today.