What Size Btu Window Air Conditioner Do I Need

The cooling power of an air conditioner is calculated in british thermal units btus.

What size btu window air conditioner do i need.

The smaller the number the smaller the room it can cool. Conversely the higher the number the larger the room it can cool. The best you can do here is to buy a small 5 000 btu window or small 8 000 btu portable ac unit more about smallest ac units here. Open the bottom window and measure the opening from the bottom of the window to the top of the window ledge.

One btu is enough energy to heat one pound of water by 1 degree f a few tips. A window air conditioner s btu quantifies the size room it can handle. As a rule of thumb an air conditioner needs 20 btu for each square foot of. If you need to install a unit that delivers 12 000 btus or more have an electrician install a 240 volt receptacle.

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. Consumer reports recommends 20 btus per square foot of the living space or spaces you want to cool down. Window air conditioners typically have a cooling capacity ranging from 5 000 to 12 500 british thermal units btu hr.

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