There are common ways a person can calculate the correct size of central air conditioners to be used in their home. It doesn't require people to be HVAC professionals. These methods are popular with individuals who don’t know much about air conditioning units or how they operate.

British Thermal Units (BTUs)
There are various central air conditioner sizes available. Air conditioning units are measured in tonnage. It's important to realize the tonnage measurement associated with air conditioners has nothing to do with their weight. The amount of energy necessary to heat or cool a pound of water by a degree in Fahrenheit is a BTU. A ton is a measurement of the ability of an air conditioning unit to cool a home.

Amount Of Tons
The number of tons associated with air conditioners installed in a home can be as little as 1.5 ton up to 5-ton units. The tons associated with a unit will increase by a half-ton increments. That is 2.5 ton to 3 ton to 3.5 ton and more. Anything more than a 5-ton air conditioning unit is classified as a light commercial HVAC unit. They aren't able to be installed in a residence. Should a home require an air conditioning unit of this size, it will need to have more than one air conditioning unit installed. Should a home need an 8-ton air conditioning unit, they will need to have two 4-ton air conditioning units installed.

Air Conditioner Too Large
When a person purchases an air conditioning unit too large for their home, it will begin to operate like a unit that was manufactured in the 1980s. The unit will quickly turn on, cool a home and then quickly turn off. The home will be comfortably cool, but the unit isn't able to go through its complete cycle like it was designed. A house will soon feel warm and the unit will have to click on again. The unit's quick turning on and then off will eliminate any possible energy efficiency. It will also cause a home's electric bill to increase.

Air Conditioner Too Small
Should someone have an air conditioning unit too small for their home, it will constantly run. It will spend most of its time during the day trying to get to a point where it should be operating efficiently. A home will be cool, but the air conditioning unit will struggle to keep the entire house cool. A/C units are designed to work slowly over time. When a unit is too small, it won't be able to cool a home quickly because it won't have the power. As the small unit constantly runs, it will run up a person's electric bill.

Air Conditioner Just Right
When a person has the right size central air conditioner for their home, it is going to run the right amount of cycles. This will keep a home at a comfortable temperature. It will also run at a rate that will provide energy efficiency.

There are many different factors associated with determining the correct size of an air conditioner for a home. The types and thickness of a home’s insulation as well as the height of its ceilings and more must be considered. Should someone believe they've accurately calculated the air conditioner size for their home, they can speak with an experienced HVAC technician to make sure they're correct.