What Size Btu Window Air Conditioner Do I Need

A window air conditioner s btu quantifies the size room it can handle.

What size btu window air conditioner do i need.

Written on the side of each box of window air conditioners there s a chart that displays the opening size requirements for that particular window air conditioner. Now measure the width from the inner most part of the side window opening. If you need to install a unit that delivers 12 000 btus or more have an electrician install a 240 volt receptacle. Consumer reports recommends 20 btus per square foot of the living space or spaces you want to cool down.

How do i calculate the right size air conditioner. But no worries about having to do any confusing equations luckily there s a convenient list for figuring how much a c power you need for a room based on the room s square footage. The smaller the number the smaller the room it can cool. Window air conditioners typically have a cooling capacity ranging from 5 000 to 12 500 british thermal units btu hr.

One btu is enough energy to heat one pound of water by 1 degree f a few tips. As a rule of thumb an air conditioner needs 20 btu for each square foot of. Conversely the higher the number the larger the room it can cool. Open the bottom window and measure the opening from the bottom of the window to the top of the window ledge.

According to the us department of energy directive the most appropriate size of an air conditioner would be 2 880 btu unit.