One of the most important things to consider when buying AC is the area or space that will be covered by the AC. Your room size or space will determine the capacity or ton of AC you will need to adequately cool the space. In other words, a large space will require a large sized air conditioner and a relatively smaller space will require a smaller sized air conditioner.
What to Consider Before Getting an AC
Before getting an AC, you need to measure the area of the home. So many people only use the area to determine the appropriate size of the air conditioner to use in their homes. But area alone may not give you the best result. You may need to calculate the volume of your space to get the best result. The volume of the space can be determined by multiplying the area by the height of the space or room. This gives cube feet rather than square feet.
AC Ton for Area or Volume
If your room size is between 80 and 120 square feet in area, you can effectively cool the room with a one ton air conditioner. A 1.5 ton AC will be adequate for a room size ranging from 120 to 190 square feet and you may need a 2 ton air conditioner for a room size ranging from 190 to 300 square feet.
The above stated results only hold in an optimal condition. In other words, several factors can also affect the ton of AC you may need in your room. Some other important factors such as the orientation of the room or structure, the average high temperature of the location or room, the fenestration or windows, shading, the insulative values of the doors, walls, roofing and window, the internal loads, and the solar gain. The internal loads will include the appliances in the room, the people living in the space, and the lights in the room.
Thus, each of these factors plays a role in determining whether the normal 80-120 square feet will be adequate for a one ton air conditioner. You may need to increase the ton of AC if the number of people in the room is more than 2 and the room is located in a sunny region. However, if your room is shady and contains fewer number of people or lower internal loads, the appropriate value will be 10 percent less than the normal AC ton.
In conclusion, the humidity and temperature of your room matter a lot and these factors are determined by the weather and atmospheric condition of your area. You can improve them by using an air conditioner. Although ACs are powerful devices to cool the room, you need to go for an appropriate size or capacity of AC to achieve the intended result. The bigger is not always the better. A one ton AC might be most adequate for a room area of 80-120 square feet. Some other factors may also determine if this room size should be reduced or increased to suit a one ton AC.
