Table of Contents
Is the higher the BTU better or worse air conditioner?
A measure of an air conditioner’s power is its BTU rating. BTUs are the energy used to remove heat from a room. Therefore, the more BTUs an air conditioner unit has, the better equipped it is to cool a larger space.
Will a 5000 BTU air conditioner cool a living room?
A 5,000 Btu air conditioner can effectively cool a room that measures 100 to 150 square feet, according to a basic industry standard. Therefore, the best way to choose an air conditioner capacity is to start with the room’s square footage, and then make adjustments as needed for the specific space.
How big of a room will 12000 BTU air conditioner cool?
12,000 BTUs will cover 400 sq. ft. (3,200 cubic feet)
What happens if the BTU is too high?
If the BTU is too high, your room will cool too quickly and that can cause the air conditioner to cycle more often. That places a considerable amount of load on the compressor and can shorten the lifespan of the air conditioning unit.
What is a good BTU for air conditioner?
According to the US Department of Energy directive, an air conditioner’s most appropriate size would be 2,880 BTU unit. The best you can do here is to buy a small 5,000 BTU window or a small 8,000 BTU portable AC unit (more about the smallest AC units here).
Does BTU matter for AC?
If your air conditioner has a bigger BTU rating than the room size needs, it will cycle off too quickly, waste energy, and will not adequately dehumidify the space. So a higher BTU than needed is definitely not recommended.
Should I get a 5000 or 6000 BTU air conditioner?
Cooling capacity should be your first consideration before buying a window AC….1. Cooling Capacity.
| Window AC Sizing Chart | |
|---|---|
| Square Footage of Your Space | BTUs Needed (per hour) |
| 100 to 150 sq. ft. | 5,000 BTUs |
| 150 to 250 sq. ft. | 6,000 BTUs |
| 250 to 300 sq. ft. | 7,000 sq. ft. |
Is 12000 BTU too much?
The most common window air conditioning units come in cooling capacities ranging from 5,000 to 12,000 Btu. A 12,000 Btu air conditioner can cool between 450 and 550 square feet of floor space. A 12,000 Btu unit could cool a room 25 feet long by 20 feet wide that has 500 square feet of floor area.
Is it bad to have a bigger BTU than needed?
If your air conditioner has a bigger BTU rating than the room size needs, it will cycle off too quickly, waste energy, and will not adequately dehumidify the space. So a higher BTU than needed is definitely not recommended. Installing an air conditioner that is too small for the space is also not recommended, since it will run continuously.
What is a good BTU rating for a new air conditioner?
As the BTU rating on a particular unit increases, the size, weight and cost also goes up. If you are looking for an air conditioner for a room measuring say 10’ x 15’ (150 square feet), the recommended BTU range is up to 5400.
How do BTUs work on air conditioners?
Instead of heating, air conditioners remove heat from the air and circulates cool air back in. BTUs still work as a form of measurement in this case. Instead of measuring the amount of heat added to the air in your home, however, they measure how much heat is removed.
Does a bigger air conditioner mean better?
In the case of air conditioners, bigger does not necessarily mean better. If your air conditioner is too powerful, it will cool your home too quickly. While this might sound like a fantastic thing at first, it’s pretty bad. In addition to cooling your home, your air conditioner also removes moisture.