How to Size Commercial Air Conditioning Units Calculating the size of a commercial air conditioner can be a complex business. There are books and software created for just this purpose, as well as calculators that consider multiple factors. For example, a building with a 12-foot ceiling is going to have different cooling needs than a building with a 9-foot ceiling. Also, a commercial kitchen will need more cooling power than a retail space. However, one general method for calculating commercial air conditioner size is based on the square footage of the area that needs to be cooled. Measure the length and width in feet of the building or room, and multiply the two numbers to get the square footage of the area you want to cool. Divide the square footage by 500. Take that number and multiply it by 12,000 to get the total BTUs you need to cool the space itself. For example, a 10,000-square-foot space divided by 500 equals 20. Multiply 20 by 12,000 to get 240,000 BTUs. Add 380 BTU for each person who will be in the space while it is being cooled.

Use an approximate number if the amount will vary. Add 1,200 BTU for each kitchen in the space. Purchase a commercial air conditioning unit with the capacity in BTUs closest to the figure you have calculated. If the space you are cooling is poorly insulated or receives a great deal of direct sunlight, you may want to purchase a larger unit to counteract these factors. Also remember that you can choose to cool different areas of the space differently. For example, if you have a warehouse space and an office space, you might want to cool the office more effectively than a warehouse that is exposed to the outdoor climate all day. Air Conditioner Selection: Discover Ways for Air Conditioner Sizing How to Size Commercial Air Conditioning Units. Calculating the size of a commercial air conditioner can be a complex business. Whether you are looking for an air conditioner (AC unit) that fits in the wall, a window or a portable unit, you...An air conditioner's capacity to cool air is measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs).

Air conditioners have two... According to the U.S. Department of Energy, properly sizing the air conditioning system in your home or office ensures the efficiency of... Installing an air conditioning system is the most certain technique of cooling a warehouse, ... How to Size Commercial Air Conditioning Units. How to Calculate HVAC Unit Size; How to Calculate the Square Foot for HVAC Tonnage; Air conditioners (ACs), a common mechanism found in modern homes and commercial buildings, cool and dehumidify air. How to Size an... The size and type of air conditioner ... Divide the total area of the space that you are attempting to cool by... 23 Deliciously Easy Lunches to Bring to Work How to Calculate HVAC Tonnage How to Calculate Cooling BTUs Basic Air Conditioning Square Foot Size Guide How to Calculate Correct Central Air-Conditioning Unit Size How to Calculate Air Conditioning Cost Per Degree in Commercial... Different Types of Air Conditioning Units

In early 2015, the US Department of Energy began leading a group of 17 stakeholders in a formal negotiated rulemaking for new energy efficiency standards for commercial rooftop air conditioners. how to charge an ac unitThe stakeholders included equipment manufacturers such as Goodman, Rheem and Lennox, as well as contractors, installers and efficiency groups. window ac units costThe rulemaking group has come to an agreement, which has been approved by DOE’s Appliance Standards and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee. what size ac unit should my house haveDOE will now work to finalize a rule based on the agreed terms, according to a blog posting by the Natural Resources Defense Council. NRDC says the new standards will save almost 15 quadrillion BTU (quads) of energy from more efficient equipment shipped over the next 30 years, and the savings will be the largest amount from a single energy efficiency standard issued by DOE to date.

Although 30 years is a long time to measure energy savings, these commercial rooftop air conditioners last for about 20 years. According to the NRDC blog, updated standards for commercial air conditioners would go into effect in two stages. The standards would require new roof-top units (RTUs) to be about 10 percent more efficient starting on January 1, 2018. RTUs manufactured beginning January 1, 2023, would be required to be 25 to 30 percent more efficient than today’s models, depending on the size of the unit. The DOE/stakeholder agreement also includes updated standards for commercial warm air furnaces.The new standards for commercial furnaces would require thermal efficiencies of at least 81 percent for gas furnaces and 82 percent for oil furnaces by January 1, 2023. DOE plans to propose final standards based on this agreement, probably by the end of 2015. Recently, DOE announced the Advanced Roof-top Unit Campaign (ARC) results of building owners that are replacing or retrofitting the aging heating and cooling technologies installed on roofs of many US commercial buildings.

Photo: Commercial RTUs via ShutterstockThere are many types, manufacturers, and sizes of commercial HVAC systems which can make it difficult to create general guidelines for repair procedures and estimates for hail-damaged units. This guide uses the most common “light commercial” rooftop units (RTUs), which are 5-tons, 7.5-tons, and 10-tons in capacity, for estimating time to repair or replace. Defining Hail Damage to an RTU Hail damages a condenser coil when it impacts and bends the fins which prevents the appropriate airflow across the coil and inhibits cooling of the refrigerant. If the refrigerant is not cooled the system can overheat reducing the life of the unit. Coils are designed with extra capacity to allow for some reduction in airflow due to debris in the coils or minor bending of the fins, but proper practices to maintain unobstructed coils is important for extending the life of the unit. Repair versus Replacing Damaged Coils It is uncommon for the coil of the system to be so badly dented that the only way to return the unit to preloss condition is to replace the coil or entire unit.

Hail typically does not have the mass or fall at the required trajectory to impact the coil with enough force to cause it to leak refrigerant, which would require more invasive repairs. Most of the hail impact’s energy is lost when it bends the fins on the condenser coil and the refrigerant tubing behind the fins is left unaffected. If the coil is leaking refrigerant there is typically a noticeable oil spot at the impact or on the roof below the impact. Occasionally a coil may not be able to be combed because the fins are too closely spaced together to place a comb between them, the fins are too brittle and break when they are combed, or the cost to comb the coil exceeds the cost of replacing it. In these instances a replacement coil needs to be installed or the unit replaced if the coil is no longer manufactured. Combing is the most efficient way to repair coils and by far the most common repair method recommended by Donan’s forensic technicians. About 85% of Donan hail studies recommend repairing the unit by combing the coil.