How to determine the right size window air conditioner for your space, how to measure your space and the window and pairing it to a BTU size.
Overview
If you are considering getting a window air conditioner for your home, there are certain considerations you need to make. One of them is determining the size of the air conditioner you need. Purchasing an air conditioning unit comes with ensuring that you purchase the correct one for your space.
When you are making this decision, the size of the unit you need must be taken into account, as it is crucial that you purchase the correct size unit. This, in turn, will require that you understand how air conditioners are measured and how to determine the size of the window unit required.
Window air conditioner sizes
All air conditioners come in different shapes and sizes. In choosing the right air conditioner for you, knowing the size that suits your home, or your space will be the best way to decide which unit you need. The size of an air conditioner is an important factor in how the unit will work for you.
If you unknowingly purchase a window unit that is too big for your space, it can be a major inconvenience, and the same applies to purchasing a unit that is too small for your space.
How to determine what size window air conditioner you need
Window air conditioners can be complicated to install as they need to fit through a window. The measurements of your window have to be taken into account when choosing the right unit for you, however, there are other important things to consider as well.
To ensure that you get the right size window air conditioner for your space, you have to measure the room you hope to place the unit in. To do this, measure the length and width of the room and multiply the two numbers to get the square feet for rectangular or square rooms.
For triangular rooms, do the same, and then divide the total by two. Finally, you must get the correct sized British Thermal Unit (BTU) aircon to match the square feet.
| AC brand | Description | Amazon price |
Midea 10 000 BTU Window AC unit |
||
| · Can cool spaces of up to 450 square feet fast
· Is Energy star certified and energy-efficient |
$364.99 | |
GE Electronic Window AC unit |
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| · 6 000 BTU can cool rooms of up to 250 square feet
· Energy efficient with low-noise operation |
$228.60 | |
LG 6 000 BTU Window AC unit |
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| · Energy star rated
· Can cool rooms of up to 260 square feet |
$280.00 | |
What are British Thermal Units?
The British Thermal Unit is the international standard measurement of thermal (heat) energy. The square feet size of your room will influence what size BTU window air conditioner you will need to effectively cool the room.
The smaller the BTU number, the smaller the room it can cool, and the same applies with higher BTUs cooling larger spaces.
An example of this is that rooms between 300 and 350 square feet can be cooled efficiently by units of 8 000 BTU, while rooms ranging between 100 and 150 square feet can be cooled by AC units of 5 000 BTU.
Measuring the size of the window
The size of the window is still something that needs to be checked though. You need to measure the size of your window to determine which window air conditioner will be able to fit through it. Not all window sizes are the same and the bigger the unit, the wider the window has to be.
Window air conditioners will not necessarily fit the entire width of the window and for this reason, window air conditioners will come with side panels that are intended to fill the existing side gaps.
What makes a good window air conditioner?
In the process of choosing a good window air conditioner, look for a unit that has an antimicrobial air filter, as these have an additional layer of protection against the growth of harmful contaminants that can gather in the filter. It will keep the air cleaner and protect the inside of your unit.
A good window air conditioner will be energy-efficient with an Energy star label and a good SEER rating, making it an effective energy saver. Window units have manual or digital thermostats, while digital thermostats offer better control and more precise temperature control.
Final thoughts
Purchasing an air conditioner is not a small investment, so it is crucial that you do it right and consider important factors for investing in an air conditioner. One of these factors is the size of the air conditioner you need to cool your home or space.
When it comes to a window air conditioner, you must measure your window properly to fit the unit through properly. You will also need to measure the size of the room you intend to cool in square feet and purchase a unit with the right BTU unit size.