A cool home during the hot summer days in London, Ontario is a proviso beloved by all so it’s vital to choose the correct size of AC unit or HVAC unit to save you money. Guessing that bigger is better or frugally choosing the smallest air conditioner can cause problems.
Why does the size of an air conditioner matter?
To get the most efficiency out of a stand-alone air conditioner, it is imperative to measure the square footage of whichever home, apartment, or condo that the device will be cooling. If the air conditioner is too small, then it won’t be able to cool the entirety of the home. Perhaps it’d be able to fill out only one room with cold air, or just a little further than that, however, the rest of the house is left in humidity. In this scenario, you have just paid for a plug-in fan for the price of an air conditioner.
Plumbhouse Plumbing Heating and Electrical have been helping people with cooling capacity requirements for their homes in London and its surrounding areas since 1981.
We sell quality HVAC systems and separate AC units with Smart technology to suit your lifestyle. Please call us at the number below or contact us online here.
Air Conditioner Size and Cooling Capacity
To get the most efficiency out of an air conditioner, it is imperative to measure the square footage of whichever home/ apartment/ condo that the device will be cooling. In the case that one was to buy an air conditioner that is too small, then there will be the problem of the device not being able to cool the entirety of the home. Perhaps it’d be able to fill out only one room with cold air, or just a little further than that, however the rest of the house is left to be a humid mess. In this scenario, you have just paid for a plug-in fan for the price of an air conditioner.
The opposite scenario is more of an ‘overkill’ situation, where one opts to buy an unnecessarily large unit with the thought process that more power is always better. In one way, yes, it is correct. A large air conditioning unit will certainly keep a smaller home completely cool, at a hefty charge on the monthly energy bill. The previous example was illustrated as buying a fan for the price of an air conditioner, however in this case buying an overly large air conditioner for a smaller house is like buying a $4000 computer to play Pac-man on. Either situation does not make financial sense for the output. Likewise, paying for hydro is already an expensive problem in Ontario, so paying for an over-priced air conditioner does not help in the least when this error can be revoked by a few minutes of measurement.
Measurements
Measuring the cooling capacity of your home sounds complicated, however, it is much easier than the name suggests. No need to calculate PPM, volume, or thermodynamic gas exchange; Instead, utilize basic third-grade math to calculate the floor surface area with a standard length x width formula.
Length x width = total area (sq ft)
The resulting total can then be compared to a guide of ‘basic cooling capacity which is marked for each size-specific air conditioner. With this, it is possible to get the best-possible estimate, and thus the most efficiency for the amount of money you spend each month.
Total area (in square feet) = BTu’s per hour
100 to 150 sq ft = 5000
150 to 250 sq ft = 6000
250 to 300 sq ft = 7000
300 to 350 sq ft = 8000
350 to 400 sq ft = 9000
400 to 450 sq ft = 10,000
450 to 550 sq ft = 12,000
550 to 700 sq ft = 14,000
700 to 1000 sq ft = 18,000
1000 to 1200 sq ft = 21,000
1200 to 1400 sq ft = 23,000
1400 to 1500 sq ft = 24,000
1500 to 2000 sq ft = 30,000
2000 to 2500 sq ft = 34,000
This can be used to accurately find the proper-sized air conditioner fit for your specific living situation. The cost-effectiveness of this cannot be understated, so use it to your own advantage.
Please call us in the London Ontario area: (519) 453 4650.
Categorised in: cooling