What Size Should I Have?

There are many questions our residential customers need answered before purchasing a new HVAC system for their home. One of the most important is what size unit do I need?  This is an instance where bigger isn’t always better.  If the system is too big or too small, your home will not find the optimal efficiency level to provide a comfortable environment.  Many factors are involved when determining what size of A/C system would have the required power output to cool or heat your home. These factors include the extent of exposure to the sun, the thickness and type of outside wall insulation, the size, type and number of windows and outside doors, the ceiling height and square footage of your home.

Generally speaking, if you live in Florida you may use the following to estimate the correct size of the cooling product that you need for your home. It is very critical in the installation of air conditioning systems that you are recommended the right size unit most suitable for your home.

An air conditioner’s capacity is measured in tons, but this measure doesn’t refer to its weight. In this case, a ton is a number that represents how much heat a unit can remove in an hour. Warmer climates require higher tonnage to efficiently remove heat from large homes with a lot of square footage.

South Florida’s year-long tropical climate makes cooling indoor air more challenging. Air conditioners that are 1.5 tons can cool off a space that is 600-900 square feet. Units that are 2 tons can cool off 901-1200 square feet spaces. Units that are 2.5 tons can cool off 1201-1500 square feet, etc. This pattern continues up to units of 5 tons that cool off 2401-3000 square feet, with every half ton increase adding about an additional 300 square feet.

Talk to our Comfort Specialists and ask questions.  With the right system in place your home will remain a haven during our Florida weather for many years.  Contact us for a free system estimation.