How powerful of an air conditioner do I need? (BTU)

Too small of an air conditioner may not provide sufficient cooling, especially on those really hot summer days.

Unfortunately, temperatures vary from region-to-region as well as on the given area to be air conditioned. Questions such as how many people, electronics, and windows are in the room all play a factor.

As a rough guideline for traditional window-based air conditioners - 8000 BTU should be able to cool rooms of 250 to 500 square feet. 10,000 - 12,000 BTU should be able to cool rooms from 400 - 950 square feet. However, these estimates need to be adjusted based on the factors mentioned earlier. In addition, when considering portable air conditioners - one should try to oversize the units as portable units tend to be less effective than their more traditional window-based cousins.

If you live in a cooler more northern region, or perhaps will only use your unit in the evening hours, you can adjust your BTU needs downwards. If you live in a warm region and plan on using the unit during peak hours or perhaps while cooking, you may need to adjust the BTU higher.

How many people will be in the room? Each person will generate about 2000 BTU worth of heat.

In addition, the number of windows and the location of the room are important. Does the room have a lot of windows and do the windows face the sun? If so, you may need to adjust your BTUs higher.

Need further assistance? Please call us or email us.

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