What Size AC Should You Buy?
A new air conditioning unit is a serious investment – and not just for your time and wallet! Choosing the right system to cool you and your home for over ten years comes with a lot of weighty decisions. Just one wrong decision could lead to discomfort and high expenses to get your cooling where you need it to be. With Air Clinic SA on your side, your San Antonio AC installation will proceed smoothly until you are experiencing the coo
ling power of your new unit. Our team is here every step of the way – including helping you decide which size AC is right for you. Why Is AC Size So Important? If you’re wondering if you can just go to your nearest appliance store and buy the biggest AC you see, you’ll be sorely disappointed when it doesn’t actually fit your home correctly. Mis-sized AC units can cause big problems in your home and cost you enormous amounts of money in energy bills. A unit that is too small will always be fighting to reach the temperature you set on your thermostat. This means long cooling cycles that use a lot of energy will be required to even get close to that cool air you w
ant. Buying that enormous AC unit won’t necessarily help either. If you install a unit that is too large, the cooling cycles will run very quickly. You may feel cool in your home, but the system will not have time to dehumidify your air and filter it properly. This will leave a clammy feeling in your air – and may even allow harmful particles to remain in your home’s air. How Do You Calculate The Right AC Size? If you want to avoid mis-sizing your cooling system, you’ll need to find the AC unit that is just right for your home’s demands. This requires a multi step process to calculate which AC unit can handle the cooling needs of the home. BTU Calculation The ability of your AC system to cool your air is actually called the heating load. In other words, how much energy does your AC unit require to absorb the heat from your air and return it to you? This calculation is measured by BTUs – British Thermal Units. If you can calculate the BTUs needed to keep your home cool, you can find the appropriate sized AC for you. All you have to do is use this simple formula: (square footage) X (25 BTUs) = Total BTUs For example, if you are wondering how many BTUs your AC needs to cool 1,00 square feet, plug in the numbers to the equation abo
ve: (1,500) X (25 BTUs) = 37,500 BTUs Tonnage Calculation Now that you have your total BTU requirement, you simply have to transfer the BTU amount into tons. Tons are the term that ACs are sized by at the store or online – 2 ton, 3.5 ton, etc. The ratio of BTUs to tons is: 1 ton = 12,000 BTUs. So, 37,500 BTUs divided by 12,000 BTUs equals roughly 3.1 tons. A professional HVAC contractor may advise a 3 ton or a 3.5 ton unit depending on your needs. Need Professional AC Installation Services? An expert heating load and size calculation are things you can look forward to when using the top quality air conditioner services at Air Clinic SA. Our team will make sure your AC replacement is flawless from the first decision you make until that new unit is delivering cool air to your home. Contact us today for more AC installation information!