You’ve done your research. You’ve invested in the right AC unit. You’ve chosen a trusted quality brand with a lengthy warranty in case things go south.
It’s up and running, but a couple days in you notice it turns off. It turns on. It sometimes lowers the temperature, and then, it completely shuts off. You realize, it’s simply just too big for your home. It may be a surprise to some homeowners, but investing in the right AC Unit is more than just finding the best features. It’s more than just choosing a quality brand. It’s also about finding the right size.
Size Matters
Purchasing the right size air conditioner is crucial in getting the most out of your unit. Often, homeowners tend to make the mistake of buying an air conditioner that is either way too big or way too small for their home. It may not seem like a big deal, but it makes all the difference. Think of it like buying the wrong size shoe: your foot will either feel too tight, or it will be swimming in a shoe that’s a full size too big. Similarly, AC units have to be just right.
Purchasing an AC Unit that’s TOO Big
When you buy an AC unit that’s just simply too big for your home, you’re welcoming a world of trouble. When a unit is too big, you will suffer from high energy bills, uneven cooling, and high levels of humidity, which can often lead to mildew and mold growth.
Purchasing an AC Unit that’s TOO Small
Similarly, when you purchase an AC unit that’s way too small, you compromise your levels of comfort. With an undersized unit, you will immediately notice that it will struggle to do its job right. It won’t be able to properly cool your home, and as a result, it will overexert itself by always running, and skyrocket your energy bills to the moon .
Ensure You Buy the RIght AC Unit
So, you’re in the market for a new AC unit, and you want to ensure it’s the right size. How exactly do you go about doing that? Well, first, you want to ensure that you’ve decided on what type of unit you want. Whether that’s a mini split ductless system or a portable unit is completely up to you. Once you’ve made that decision, you will want to take a look at the two most crucial components: the BTUs or British Thermal Units, and the SEER rating.
British Thermal Unit (BTUs)
A British thermal unit or BTU, as they’re most commonly abbreviated as, is a metric used to indicate just how much energy your AC unit utilizes to remove heat from your home within a given hour. A good BTU rating for an air conditioner unit depends on several factors such as the layout of your home, square footage, and ceiling height. Generally though, we like to recommend an AC unit of at least 20 BTUs per square foot.
SEER Rating
SEER is short for season energy efficiency ratio. An SEER rating is crucial when purchasing a new AC unit because it represents the amount of energy and money a given AC unit needs to properly cool your home throughout a single year. It’s important to note that the higher the SEER rating is, the less energy it needs to effectively cool your home. In short, the higher the SEER rating is, the more energy efficient that system is. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that in order for a SEER rating to be considered good, it has to be above 14.
How to Find the Right Size AC Unit
In order to find the right size AC unit for your home you will need to carry out a couple of simple steps. The first step is to find the total square footage of your home or the area you want to cool. To do so, you must measure the length and wish of the room, and multiply them together. You then want to take that number and multiply it by 20, which will give you a rough idea of the required BTUs. If that seems a little complicated, you could also use the following guidelines:
- Small Rooms (under 150 sq ft): 5,000 to 8,000 BTUs.
- Medium Rooms (150-300 sq ft): 8,000 to 12,000 BTUs.
- Large Rooms (300-500 sq ft): 12,000 to 18,000 BTUs.
Hire a Professional!
The best and most accurate way to fit your AC unit to your home is by simply calling CJS Heating and Air. With certified HVAC professionals ready to handle all your needs, we will ensure your AC unit and your home are a perfect fit.
