How Do I Know If My Central Air Is Big Enough? The heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) of a home is responsible for keeping the temperature and quality of the air in the home comfortable and safe. Many homes have central HVAC systems that deliver heat or cool air to all areas of the home. To get the maximum efficiency from a central HVAC, you need to make sure it is the right size for your home. The easiest way to see if your central HVAC is big enough is to look at the installation and manufacturing manuals for the HVAC system you have. Check the number of square feet that the manufacturer indicates will be controlled by the system. If you are using a system designed for much less square footage than you have, then the system probably will need upgrading. The average central air unit should handle between 3 to 6 tons, or between 36,000 and 72,000 british thermal units (BTUs) BTUs are the amount of energy needed to raise 1 pound of water one degree Fahrenheit, with 12,000 BTUs making a ton.

Ace Hardware offers the following basic formula to find out if your central air is properly sized based on square footage and BTUs: Multiply the square footage of the area to be cooled by 25. Then add 1,000 per window and 400 per occupant. Compare this number to the number of BTUs the central air system is designed to handle. If the number is higher than the BTUs your system is able to handle, then you'll probably need to get a larger system. Sometimes an HVAC system is large enough to handle the number of square feet you have but is designed in such a way that it is inefficient. For example, if ducts and vents are extremely long, then your hot and cool air will need to travel very long distances before it can reach you, and much of the energy may be absorbed by the materials that make up the system. Look to see if there are unnecessary turns in the ductwork, whether there are just a few filters that clog more quickly than if many would be used, where the thermostats and vents are placed and what elements (e.g., antifreeze, heating coils) the system utilizes.

Consider whether your heating and cooling system is running continuously and what the relative humidity is like in your home. The larger your system, the more it will turn on and off instead of running all the time. This means it won't filter as much air and won't remove as much moisture, and relative humidity impacts how hot or cool the air will feel to you. If you have moisture problems or feel like you're constantly at the thermostat, try downgrading to a smaller system that will run more often. hidden ac unitsDo just the opposite if moisture is scarce and the climate is extremely constant.5 ton ac unit cheap Look at your energy bill. ac covers for wall unitsIf you are paying an arm and a leg for a system that never seems to shut off, you're likely to be paying more because the system has to run continuously.

This is an indication that the system is having trouble keeping up with the demands you are placing on it. If you live in a humid climate where running a central air system more often is preferable to control temperature and moisture, you don't necessarily need to upgrade. Just get a more efficient HVAC instead, such as those that meet Energy Star requirements. Ace Hardware Air Conditioner Calculator Sizing an air conditioner can represent a challenge for some homeowners, as small units may not fully cool a room and large... Sizing an central air conditioning unit for a 2,000 square-foot structure requires more than just ... How Big of an Air Conditioning... Installing an air conditioner can make a big difference in how comfortable a home is during the hot and humid dog ...... Installing an air conditioner can make a big ... Installing the proper size air conditioning (AC) unit in a home is ...... How to Calculate Air Conditioner Size for a House. When you go to shop for an air conditioner, it will need...

Selecting the right sized furnace for your home is important. If you select a furnace that is too small, ... In a world experiencing global warming, air conditioners are something of a necessity. The proper size air conditioner impacts the life of... Freon is the term most commonly used for the refrigerant on an A/C system. Freon, or R12, ... It will operate much... If an air conditioner is too big, it will not be on for long enough to ... square footage of your home.... Any plumbing drain that drains in to the main sewer line has a trap on it to prevent sewer gasses from backing... How to Tell What Size AC Unit You Need How do I Calculate the Heating & Cooling for 900 Square Feet? How Big Should My Air Conditioner Be?Rosie has always followed a rule of thumb when advising Rosie on the House listeners about how big a replacement air conditioning unit should be: 400 square feet per ton. But that rule is out of date. Due to the increased energy efficiency in homes today, it is no longer possible to base the size of your air conditioner solely on the size of your home, and therefore there is no good rule of thumb;

but there are some guidelines. When it comes to air conditioning, it’s actually better to err on the side of smaller. A unit that’s too big for the home won’t run long enough to wring out the humidity. Instead, it will cool your home too quickly, and then cut itself off before it has time to deal with the humidity. High humidity indoors can lead to problems, including but not limited to, your discomfort and mold growth. Also, an air conditioning unit that cuts on and off every few minutes because it cools the house so quickly will use more energy than one that stays on long enough to do its job with the humidity. That said, you don’t want to buy a unit that’s too small, either. An undersized unit will run all the time without ever making your home as cool as you’d like it to be. An air conditioning unit that’s just the right size for your home will run long enough to bring your home to the temperature you like, and it will cycle the moisture out of the air and give you the most comfort, and energy efficiency.