A Bigger Air Conditioner is Not Always Better!

What Size Air Conditioner Do I Need?

Do you suspect you need a larger unit to cool your home? Are you tired of a unit that runs constantly and yet you still feel hot? It is easy to seek a quick fix and want to go gung-ho on a new larger unit.  It may be a little like going to the grocery store hungry. You want a big unit that will cool the house quickly. Most of us have experienced this ourselves, or know someone that has experienced a unit that is too small for the home that it serves. It runs non-stop and the house still does not feel comfortable.  The answer is a “much” bigger unit, right?

Not necessarily a “much” bigger unit, but certainly a bigger unit will solve the problem. You will need a professional evaluation of several different factors to determine the size air conditioner that will serve you efficiently and comfortably.

Your HVAC professional will need to know the square footage that you will want to cool. A good rule to follow is roughly 600-700 square feet per ton of air conditioning.  Roughly is the operative word here. How a home is insulated and or/ constructed can swing the pendulum wide one way or the other. The homes with stellar insulation may be cooled using a ton per 1000 square feet.  A home with poor insulation would require a ton per 500 square feet.  How cold do you plan to keep your home?  Some people like a colder than normal home. This is something your HVAC professional will need to know. Other important things that must be factored are sun drenched windows, or a mostly shaded lot. That is why most professionals land somewhere in the middle for a starting point. 

Choosing a unit that is too small will not cool efficiently and it will seemingly run all of the time. An oversized unit will cool quickly, but it will not run long enough to take the humidity out of the air and the house will feel damp and clammy.

When it comes to one's air conditioning unit, let’s not use the Goldilock method to choose. Call a professional to help you choose the unit that is “just right” the first time.