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.

What size btu window air conditioner do i need.

Consumer reports recommends 20 btus per square foot of the living space or spaces you want to cool down. 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. 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.

How do i calculate the right size air conditioner. The smaller the number the smaller the room it can cool. Here s an easy to read chart to help you pair up your square footage to the proper size btu number. The cooling power of an air conditioner is calculated in british thermal units btus.

Window air conditioners typically have a cooling capacity ranging from 5 000 to 12 500 british thermal units btu hr. As a rule of thumb an air conditioner needs 20 btu for each square foot of. According to the us department of energy directive the most appropriate size of an air conditioner would be 2 880 btu unit. Now measure the width from the inner most part of the side window opening.

One btu is enough energy to heat one pound of water by 1 degree f a few tips.