How do I choose the right size Room AC?

Choosing the right size when shopping for a room air conditioner is extremely important. Units that are bigger than necessary may not be able to remove the humidity effectively, resulting in an uncomfortable room. A quick and easy way to determine the right size is to refer to the chart below.

Area To Be Cooled (sq. ft.)	Capacity Needed(Btu/Hour)
100 to 150	5,000
150 to 250	6,000
250 to 300	7,000
300 to 350	8,000
350 to 400	9,000
400 to 450	10,000
450 to 550	12,000
550 to 700	14,000
700 to 1000	18,000
1,000 to 1,200	21,000
1,200 to 1,400	23,000
1,400 to 1,500	24,000
1,500 to 2,000	30,000

Make adjustments for the following circumstances:

- If the room is heavily shaded, reduce capacity by 10%.

- If the room is very sunny, increase capacity by 10%.

- If more than two people regularly occupy the room, add 600 BTUs for each additional person.

- If the unit is used in a kitchen, increase capacity by 4,000 BTUs.

- Consider where you install the unit. If you are mounting an air conditioner near the corner of a room, look for a unit that can send the airflow in the right direction.

- For the purpose of this chart, rooms that are connected by permanently open entryways wider than five feet ought to be considered as one room and their square footage should be combined.

If you have a few extra minutes, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers has a more detailed worksheet on its Web site to help you determine the proper sizing .

[1] energystar.gov; http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=roomac.pr_properly_sized

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How do I choose the right size Room AC?

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