Each year due to global warming, temperatures during summer are only rising. Knowing how to calculate air conditioner size can be handy, in fact, it is essential that you know how to do it. It will help you in determining the air conditioner size required for your house and will give you a rough estimate about the capacity of the air conditioner to purchase. The following is a brief note on how you can calculate air conditioner size on your own.
How to Calculate Air Conditioner Size?
The task of sizing air conditioners is a matter of the application of the science rather than the art. You can use an on-line air conditioner size calculator to determine the size of the air conditioner that can make your home a restful place to live in. A properly sized air conditioner can work efficiently and help you realize your investment. On the other hand, under-sized air conditioners will run continuously, without cooling your house and without providing succor and worth. An oversized air conditioner will not work more efficiently than the properly sized one. It is up to you to decide whether to install one of the portable air conditioners or the best central air conditioner available in the market.
The following are some tips which may help you calculate air conditioner size:
- The first task in air conditioner sizing is to measure (in meters) the length and the width of each of the rooms in your house that you plan to cool with the air conditioner.
- The height of the room does not play any role in this calculation, because the cool air is heavy and sinks toward the ground.
- Find the area of each room you are interested in by multiplying its length and width.
- By adding together the areas of all the rooms you are interested in, you will arrive at the total area in your house to be cooled with the help of the AC.
- Multiply the total area by 337 BTUs and the product will give you the amount of heat an air conditioner will have to remove from your house in order to cool it.
Air Conditioner Size Calculator Chart for Single Room
Room Size (Sq Ft) |
Recommended BTUs |
---|---|
0-150 | 5,000 |
150-200 | 6,000 |
250-300 | 8,000 |
300-350 | 10,000 |
350-400 | 12,000 |
400-450 | 14,000 |
450-500 | 15,000 |
500-600 | 18,000 |
600-700 | 20,000 |
700-800 | 22,000 |
800-900 | 25,000 |
The term BTUs stands for British thermal units.
There are a few more calculations you have to do, in order to calculate the air conditioner size for your house. Calculate the area of each of your south side windows (width times height). Total the area of the windows and multiply it by 871 BTUs. This will give you the amount of heat entering your house through the south side windows. Calculate the area of each north side window, add them up and calculate the amount of heat entering your house through the north side windows by multiplying the total by 166 BTUs. Multiply the number of people by 400 BTUs, the amount of heat generated by each person per hour.