What Size Air Conditioner Do I Need? BTU & SEER Ratings

Are you ready to combat the hot and humid weather in New Jersey this summer? With an average temperature range that varies from 70 to 90 degrees fahrenheit, it is not uncommon for the climate to become unbearable throughout the warm months of the year. To keep your family safe and comfortable, it’s important to invest in an energy-efficient air conditioner for your home. So, what size air conditioner do you need? View our recommendations prior to choosing a system for your house.

An Explanation of How to Size An Air Conditioner

How Many BTU’s Do You Need in Your Home?

The total output of a central air conditioning system is measured in British Thermal Units (BTU’s). It’s important to be familiar with this key performance indicator to ensure you choose an air conditioner that is the proper size for your house. It’s important to select a system with a proper capacity to avoid high recurring operational costs and inefficiencies.

To calculate how many BTU’s you need in an air conditioner, you will be required to determine the total square footage of your home. To maintain a comfortable temperature, you will need to purchase an air conditioner that is able to provide a total of 25 BTU’s per square foot in your enclosure. 

To determine the square footage of your house, multiply the width of the area times the length. Once you have determined the total square feet, multiply that number by 25 BTU. For example, let’s say you have a room in your house that features a length of 20 feet and a width of 13 feet. To calculate the total square footage, multiply 20 by 13. If you do the calculation correctly, you will discover your home is a total of 260 square feet.

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Next, multiply 260 square feet by 25 BTU’s to receive how many BTU’s you need to adequately maintain a pleasant temperature in your home. Your calculations should equate to a BTU rating of 6500. So, this is an indicator that you will be required to shop for an air conditioner with a BTU rating of 6500 or higher to combat the warm temperatures in the summer.

Problems With Improperly Sized Air Conditioners

If you purchase an air conditioner with a BTU rating that is too low for the total square footage of your home, the system will be required to be active continuously to maintain the temperature of your enclosure. Purchasing an incorrect air conditioner size will cause the total cost of your utility bills to increase. On the other hand, an air conditioner that features a BTU rating that is too high for your house will provide you with cool air at a rate that is too fast. 

This will cause the system to rapidly activate and deactivate throughout the day. Additionally, an overly large air conditioner will not be able to remove the excess moisture in the air of your house. This will cause the indoor humidity levels to increase drastically, which will negatively affect your comfort. If you’re having trouble determining what size air conditioner you need for your house, give our team a call by phone at (732) 201-3305 or fill out our Contact Form.

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Variables That Will Affect the Total BTU’s You Need

While it may be recommended to purchase an air conditioner size that is able to provide an output of 25 BTU’s per square foot, this is not an exact science. Factors such as the type of insulation and flooring will affect the minimum BTU’s required to make your house cold. Other variables such as the total number of windows and floors in your house will also affect the process of air conditioner sizing. It’s best to have a professional HVAC technician perform an inspection of your home to determine what size air conditioner you need to fight the brutal temperatures during the warmer months of the year.

SEER Ratings

To keep the total cost of your utility bills down, it’s important to select the correct air conditioner size and SEER rating. A SEER rating is calculated by dividing the output provided by your air conditioner by the total electricity it utilizes while operating. A modern energy-efficient system will feature a high SEER rating while an older unit will have a lower rating.

Each state has a federally mandated minimum SEER rating for residential air conditioners. In New Jersey, the minimum SEER rating that manufacturers are required to abide by is 13. Prior to sizing an air conditioner for your house, it’s important to understand the context of how a manufacturer advertises a SEER rating. 

If an air conditioner model has a SEER rating of 15, this indicates that the efficiency may be as high as 15. Since this value is only the maximum efficiency level of the system, it is not uncommon for the air conditioner to operate at an efficiency that is lower than 15 SEER. Depending on a variety of operational variables, the air conditioner will alternate between low and high efficiency ratings.

Benefits Of Investing in an Energy-Efficient Air Conditioner

While it is important to consider the BTU and SEER ratings throughout the air conditioner sizing process, it is also important to compare operational features. There are a large variety of features that are integrated into modern energy-efficient air conditioners to help make your home more comfortable and save you money.

Variable-Speed Compressor

If you have an older home in New Jersey, it most likely is equipped with a single-speed air conditioner. These types of systems are only able to operate at maximum speeds while they are activated. On the other hand, the latest energy-efficient systems for sale in the market include a variable-speed air conditioner compressor that allows your system to operate at an array of different speeds. From fast, moderate, to slow operational speeds, the latest air conditioners are built to eliminate temperature fluctuations in the home.

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Fan Delay Modes

Regardless of what size air conditioner you need for your house, the latest systems for sale are equipped with a fan delay mode to ensure all of the cold air in your house is used. On older systems, it was not uncommon for the air handler to deactivate at the same time as the compressor. Since the fan was deactivated along with the entire AC system, cold air would become stuck in the air ducts of the home.

The latest energy-efficient air conditioners include an automatic fan delay switch that is engineered to keep the air handler running for a limited time once the system is deactivated. This allows the remaining cold air to be pushed into the living space rather than being wasted.

Air Conditioner Services in New Jersey

Is your air conditioner struggling to maintain the temperature in your home? It may be time to perform an upgrade to an energy-efficient unit. Our team will help you determine what size air conditioner you need for your enclosure. We offer dependable air conditioner repair and installation services in areas of New Jersey such as Howell, Middletown, Brick, Elizabeth, Tom’s River, and Trenton. Give our team a call by phone at (732) 201-3305 or schedule an appointment online to receive assistance with an air conditioning issue.