How to Buy the Right-Sized Heating and Cooling Equipment

Whether you're replacing a home's central heating and cooling system or looking for a window-mounted unit for a dorm or apartment, there are several different factors to consider. While price is the most obvious factor, you'll also need to consider size. The right-sized heating and cooling equipment can keep your climate ideal and your energy bill low.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Tape measure

Buy the Right-Sized Central Heating and Cooling System

1. Work with a professional to install central heating and cooling equipment. Unlike a window air conditioner or space heater, you probably won't be able to install the right central and heating system on your own.
2. Determine the number of hours per day you'll need to run a heating and cooling system. This will vary greatly based on the part of the country in which you live.
3. Get an energy audit to determine the energy efficiency of your home. The better your home is insulated, the less time you'll need to spend running your heating and air equipment.
4. Compute the size of your house. The salesperson will need to have an idea of how many rooms will be heated or cooled by the system. Estimate the square footage of each room you plan to heat or cool.
5. Discuss the age of your home with a sales professional. The age of a house can say a lot about how well it will retain heat or air conditioning. Older homes will probably need larger systems to compensate for insulation shortcomings.
6. Resist pressure to buy a larger system than you really need. While a salesperson may try to up-sell you to a more powerful system, this could be less energy efficient in the long run. A system that's too powerful will heat or cool a space too quickly, leading to unnecessary cycling, improper dehumidification, and unnecessary wear and tear on your equipment.

Get the Right-Sized Window Mounted or Freestanding Unit

7. Measure the window in which you plan to install an air conditioner. These units must be mounted in or near a window, so that hot exhaust can be funneled outside while the air conditioner is running.
8. Purchase a freestanding room air conditioner for rooms with small windows or bars. This can be a common problem in urban areas. You'll be able to run an exhaust pipe from the air-conditioning unit to the open window.
9. Measure the square footage of your room. Measure the length and width and multiply the results.
10. Check an air conditioner's British Thermal Unit (BTU) measure. The BTU number will provide an exact measure of the amount of heat the air conditioner can remove from a room.
11. Compare the size of the equipment to the size of the room in which it will be used. Look for the size charts on an air conditioner's packaging to see how well the unit's BTU rating will correlate to the square footage of your room.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're installing an air-conditioning system in a kitchen, buy a slightly more powerful one than the size the kitchen warrants. Stovetops, toasters and ovens create a lot of heat and can put more strain on your air conditioner.
• Consider window-mounted units if you are a renter. While central heating and air systems are more energy efficient than window-mounted units, they can be much more expensive to purchase and install. It's unlikely that you'll find a rental landlord who will allow you to install a central heating and air system, even if it's the perfect size.

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