How to Select The Right Size A/C

It’s about that time to start thinking about cooling your home for the warm season. If you’re considering purchasing a cooling system for your home, deciding on the appropriate sized unit is a good place to start.

Step #1: Measure the room. You’ll first need to figure out the square footage of the room you’re looking to cool. You can do this by multiplying the length of the room by its width. If the space is oddly shaped, try breaking up the room into rectangular spaces as best you can, finding the square footage for each and then adding them together for a total.

Step #2: Repeat the process. If you’re looking to purchase a central air system to cool your whole home, as opposed to a window A/C unit for just one space, you’ll need to calculate the square footage throughout. Repeat steps number one for every room in your home and add up your findings. You may even be able to find the square footage on your home’s county records.

Step #3: Determine your BTUs. British Thermal Units, or BTUs is the unit of measurement by which the U.S. Department of Energy measures cooling capacity. In order to figure out the amount of BTUs your space requires, follow this general guide from Energy Star:

• 100 up to 300 sq. feet requires 5,000 to 7,000 BTU
• 300 up to 550 sq. feet requires 8,000 to 12,000 BTU
• 550 up to 1,000 sq. feet requires 14,000 to 18,000 BTU
• 1,000 up to 1,200 sq. feet requires 21,000 to 24,000 BTU
• 1,500 up to 2,000 sq. feet requires 30,000 BTU
• 2,000 up to 2,500 sq. feet requires 34,000 BTU

Step #4: Make necessary adjustments. For rooms that are heavily shaded reduce BTUs by 10 percent, but do the opposite for rooms that are very sunny. For family rooms, or other areas where more than two people occupy a space at a time, add 600 BTUs for each additional person. If you’re looking to cool your kitchen, increase BTUs by 4,000.

Step #5: Consult a professional. We highly suggest you reach out to your local heating and cooling contractor, especially if you’re trying to cool a large space. This will help ensure that you select and install the right sized unit to suit your needs.

If live in Fairfield County, New Haven County or the surrounding areas, and are interested in installing a new air conditioning system in your home, give Tyler Heating, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration LLC a call at 203-378-4700 and we’ll help you select the best option for your home.