Why A Bigger AC Unit Isn’t Better

Bigger isn’t always better. This rings especially true when referring to air conditioning systems. It’s actually much more efficient and effective to have a unit that is appropriately sized for your home. Here are some of the biggest problems you’ll experience if you install a cooling system that’s too big, and how you can figure out what size air conditioner you should be considering instead.

Humidity Problems

Installing an air conditioner that is too big for your home can cause a your home to feel more humid, which can cause other issues. Air conditioners are supposed to remove heat and humidity from the air in your home, but if your system is too large, it will cool your rooms quickly, but only remove some of the humidity. This can leave your home feeling damp and clammy. A properly sized unit will remove humidity effectively as it cools.

Related Read: How to Beat the Humidity

Cost Concerns

An oversized unit can also end up costing you more. Not only will you have to cash out more to buy it, but to operate it as well. A unit that is too large will start and stop more often. It starts up and shuts down a lot more because it runs for only a short time to meet the thermostat set point. All those starts and stops mean you’ll probably be repairing it more often and replacing it sooner, meaning it will have a shorter lifespan.

Figure Out the Right Size for Your Home

First, determine the square footage of the area to be cooled using the following formulas:

  • For square and rectangular rooms, multiply the length of the area by its width
  • For a triangular area, multiply the length of the area by the width and divide by 2

Next, using the square footage and the chart below provided by Energy Star, determine the correct cooling capacity. Cooling capacity is measured in British thermal units (BTUs) per hour.

AC Unit Chart

Lastly, make any adjustments for the following circumstances:

  • If the home is heavily shaded, reduce capacity by 10 percent.
  • If the home is very sunny, increase capacity by 10 percent.
  • Adjust capacity based on how many people will occupy the home, as each person adds 600 BTUs.

For help figuring out which air conditioning system will be the most cost effective and efficient for your home, call the Omaha air conditioning company you can trust, Getzschman Heating & Cooling at 402-554-1110.