Beat the Summer Heat - What Size A/C Do I Need?

A larger air conditioner will not always provide more cooling. It should be sized for the room area. If properly sized it should operate long enough to remove moisture from the air. It is the moisture removed from the room which actually produces the feeling of cooling. Unfortunately many people in their rush to purchase a window air conditioner buy too large a model.

Too large a unit can actually provide less cooling than a smaller, properly sized unit. This is because with an oversized air conditioner its run time is too short. Consequently it does not remove enough moisture from the room to produce a feeling of comfort. If you're A/C seems to cycle off and then back on every few minutes and does a poor job of cooling, it is probably oversized for the room.

Air conditioners are rated in BTU's. British Thermal Units are a measurement of how much heat is being transferred form the room being cooled to where the heat is dumped out of doors. This is why the cooing coil inside the room is cool to the touch, while the part that hangs outside is extremely hot.

A window air conditioner used in the average household room can be as low as 4000 BTU. While 5000, 6000, and 8000 are the most common sizes purchased.

How do I determine what size A/C I need? Following is a basic sizing chart for calculating the window air conditioner needed for a room. Calculate the size of the room by multiplying the width of the room by the length of the room. Use your room size to determine what BTU's are required to cool that particular room size.

room in sq ft-----room in sq m-----A/C size in BTU's

100 - 250............9 - 23............5000 - 6000

250 - 400...........23 - 37............6000 - 8500

400 - 550...........37 - 51............8000 - 11000

550 - 875...........51 - 81...........11000 - 15000

Based on a room occupied by two adults, having an average insulation, number of windows, and sun exposure.

Which is the best room for placement of an air conditioner?

Wherever it gives the most comfort is where it should be installed. If you only have one air conditioner then we usually suggest the bedroom. This is because most people find that if they can sleep comfortably during a hot summer night then their next days work will be a lot easier. Getting through a hot day at work becomes a lot easier when you know you will sleep comfortably that night.

Some people do not like a cool sleeping environment so they will tend to place it in a living room or family room. Or some people will place it in the family room because the whole family can sleep there. Get out the sleeping bags and turn it into an adventure for the young ones. Beats waking up in the morning to find a dog, cat, and four kids in the bed with you.

Also window air conditioner can be noisy, which may disturb sleep. Others find the drone of the fan actually promotes sleep because all the neighbourhood noises are drowned out. Some people say the air conditioner works as well as a sleeping pill

But whichever room you eventually pick don't expect the impossible from you're A/C. It is not meant to cool more than one room or one open area. Air conditioners will not cool other rooms? This is because the blower in a window air conditioner is not very powerful. It is sized to cool one open area, not a number of interconnected rooms. Therefore once again a couple of smaller units may be better for your home than one large unit.

Lastly, remember to properly secure the air conditioner in the window. Once installed a piece of wood to stop the window from being lifted up is a good idea. If you have wooden sills the simple addition of a wood screw at the top of the raised window (the one you had to raise to install the A/C) will only take a minute. Otherwise an intruder could gain access to the house by lifting the window and letting the A/C fall out. This could result in the loss of both your valuables and the air conditioner.

Service manager of MG Appliance Repair Services in Ottawa, Canada. In the trade over 30 years as a technician, business owner, and technical trainer. For more information about appliances including FAQ, Stain guide, Recycling, and Newsletter visit http://www.mgservices.ca

MORE RESOURCES:

RELATED ARTICLES

New Tax Breaks for Energy Efficient Home Improvements
If you would like to make your existing home more energy efficient and get some help paying for the improvements, you need to know about the Energy Tax Incentives Act of 2005. The new law provides a $500 lifetime credit against your federal income tax for the cost of certain energy-saving home improvements that you make to your home after December 31, 2005 and before January 1, 2008.

Why Not Add a Shower To Your Bathroom?
If you are thinking of remodeling your bathroom and redoing or adding showers to them, consider all of your choices. The age we live in has allowed us many choices in what we want in our homes.

A Fabric Hammock is Comfortable Casual Chic
If you are looking for unique seating inside or out, why not consider a hammock? What comes to mind when you picture a hammock? Do you see yourself on the islands? Are you swaying in the breeze while watching the kids play in the pool? Are you watching the stars at night on your hammock for two? You can be on vacation year round when you add a hammock to a room or patio. You instantly create a casual chic or sophisticated hand designed elegance.

Why Cant We Kill Too?
Why does big business have all the fun? We fix our own postage stamps - THEY use a franking machine. We use scissors - THEY use a guillotine.

Save Money On Home Improvement Projects
Many of us avoid home improvement projects due to their expense. Granted if you are contemplating a "second-story" addition to your home, or the construction of a new "game-room", then most likely you will need to hire a general contractor to complete this task.

Design Elements
A well-decorated room can still lack personality. To give your room a personality, choose from among these basic design elements, modify them to suit your tastes and implement them in a way which is just right for you.

How To Buy A Conservatory In The UK
The first question is, what is a conservatory?There is no standard definition of what constitutes a conservatory (apart from "greenhouse"). This is one reason why quotes vary so widely.

This Is Why People Should Consider Granite Countertops
Granite countertops are among the most beautiful things you can add to your kitchen. Kitchen countertops gain a beautiful glow from these pieces of art.

Interior Design For New Homes
When decorating or making decorating decisions for new homes, it is important to remember that your major decisions could affect decorating choices for quite a long period of time. Commitment to bold or unusual color treatments before you have actually had the opportunity to consider how such changes will coordinate with your furniture placement is not very advisable in this type of situation.

What is Wire EDM?
What exactly is wire electrical discharge machining, also referred to as Wire EDM? Wire EDM is the process whereby hard metals, those that previously could not be machined or manipulated by traditional methods, could now be machined, manipulated and designed by electrical charges in order to cut away the unwanted metal into heretofore unattainable shapes and designs with greater tolerances and precision.The one limiting requirement for wire EDM is that the material must be electrically conductive.

Ceiling Fan Blades
A ceiling fan consists of three basic parts, namely the motor; blades and the mounting device. The standard ceiling fans comprises of three to five blades.

Change The Style Of Your Interior With A Minimum Of Costs
The style of your interior depends for a great part on the decoration on the walls. Using the right picture on the right place can make your room look bigger.

Remove Carpet Stains - The How To
Your short lesson on how to remove carpet stains: act fast. Carpets today (most) come with stain-resistant treatments, so spills can be removed if you get to them quickly.

Selecting Color Schemes
Choosing a color scheme for a room can be a daunting task at times, especially if nothing about the room initially jumps out at you. If you find yourself without a particular color preference for a room, you might begin by picking color combinations that are inspired by a favorite fabric pattern.

Replacing Aluminum Frame Single Pane Windows
In our past articles I talked about all the steps required to properly replace your old wood sash windows with energy efficient vinyl windows. I told you how to measure for the new windows.

Family Fun - Is Swimming In A Safe Pool
Family fun is one of the most important things you can strive for to give your children some lasting memories they will always cherish; even into adulthood. Your children will always remember the times you spent together as a family on vacation or at home.

Is It Time For Solar Energy to Get Hot?
Solar energy has been around for quite a while and most people don't think about it much except for the ones who are already into renewable sources of energy. Environmentalists have always loved the idea of solar energy but what has kept it from going more mainstream, being more widely used and looked upon as something someone wants to spend money to install on their property? There have been improvements in the technology of solar energy, but has there been enough? Isn't the war on terror and the desire to be independent of foreign energy sources enough to persuade people to use solar energy? At what point will solar energy become the great and never ending source of energy many of envisioned many years ago?Well, I, for one, think that the time has just about come for solar energy to really take off because of one reason: it will be economically the right and smart thing to do.

Enjoy The Beauty Of Hardwood With The Endurance Of Laminate Flooring
Everyone likes the beautiful, timeless look of hardwood floors. Elegant, yet simple, hardwood is stunning.

Get Rid Of Air Pollution In Your Home With House Plants
Do you know that formaldehyde, a colorless, pungent-smelling gas can cause severe health effects to us? Sources of formaldehyde are:- environmental tobacco smoke and combustion sources (burning wood, kerosene and by automobiles) preservatives in some paints, cosmetics and coating finish used to coat paper products pressed wood products and furniture made with these pressed wood products certain insulation materials such as urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) and fiberglass insulation durable press drapes, other textiles, and glues. Wow! Looking at the list, there must be plenty of formaldehyde in our homes! The scary part is formaldehyde can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and difficulty in breathing when exposed at elevated levels.

The Advantages of Steel Buildings
Use of steel as a construction material has seen phenomenal growth in the last few years. Although steel buildings have been used in the commercial and industrial sectors for a long time, they are increasingly gracing the skylines of countries all over the world.