Selecting The Right Size Central Air Conditioner For Your Home

In this modern age, having an AC in your home is less a luxury than it is standard. But since the world has changed dramatically in the last few decades, it may very well be time to replace that old AC and have a modern one installed. You may not be aware of the fact that air conditioning units have changed quite a bit over the past 30 years, and the size/age of the unit you have now may be causing your electricity bill to be much higher than it needs to be.

Before you begin your quest to purchase a new AC, there are a few things that you’ll need to understand. Centralized air conditioning units come in a variety of different sizes ranging from 1-ton to 5-tons. This doesn’t have anything to do with how much the machines weigh. Instead, the unit “ton” is in relation to your AC’s ability to cool. A 1-ton AC unit will be able to cool 12,000 BTUs (British Thermal Units) in an hour.

Don’t let us lose you, we know it’s getting a little complicated. With a bit of brain power, it is fairly simple to understand this stuff. It is helpful to know that anything over a 5-ton unit is usually going to be for commercial properties. So while looking for a unit for your residential home, it will be best to keep your search between the 1-5 range.

Now you know about tons and BTUs, but you still don’t know how that will help you determine what size is best for YOUR home. There are a few different ways to make that determination, and some of those tactics can get pretty complicated. Having that said, we encourage you to talk to a professional HVAC contractor if you are looking to get the most specific results.

Using a simple math equation, you can calculate the size of AC unit that will best fit your home. The equation looks like this: ((House square footage times 25, divided by 12,000) – 0.5) = required tons. So let’s say your house is 2,000 sq. ft. You will multiply 2,000 by 25, equalling 50,000. You will then take 50,000 and divide it by 12,000, equalling about 4.1. You’ll then subtract 0.5 from 4.1, equalling about 3.6. From all that, we can deduce that a 2,000 sq. ft. home needs a 3.5 ton AC unit.

Keep in mind that these calculations are only going to give you rough estimates of what you need. If you really want a specific and precise calculation, you are going to want to contact a professional.

All in all, it is important that you keep a cool head, even if your AC unit isn’t running right now. There are quite a few factors involved when calculating the size of AC you’ll need, and rushing through the process because you want to “get it over with” is risking making the wrong decision. If you do end up with the wrong size, it will still keep your house cool, but will either be working too hard, or not efficiently. Both of those things are going to cost you more money on that electricity bill.

Arco Comfort Air would be glad to help you in your decision making. We have a capable team of technicians and experienced professionals that are willing to give you advice! If you find yourself stressing about this, or if you are only interested in getting specific results, give us a call and we will do our best to get you set in the right direction.