Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.īefore becoming an analyst in 2020, I spent eight years as a reporter covering consumer tech news. I unbox, set up, test, and review a wide range of consumer tech products from my home in Florida, often with the help of my pitbull Bradley. I'm PCMag's expert on fitness and smart home technology, and I've written more than 6,000 articles and reviews in the 10-plus years I've been here. If you have high ceilings and large windows, you might need more cooling power.Įnergy Star recommends (Opens in a new window) increasing capacity by 10% if the room is very sunny, reducing it by 10% if it’s heavily shaded, adding 600 BTUs if more than two people regularly occupy the room, and increasing capacity by 4,000 BTUs if the unit is in a kitchen. If your room is 500 square feet, for instance, you need an air conditioner with 10,000 BTUs. So, multiply the square footage of your room by 20 to get the minimum size of air conditioner that will work in your space. In general, you want 20 to 25 British Thermal Units (BTUs) of cooling power for every square foot. First, measure the length and width of the room you want to cool, then multiply those numbers to calculate the square footage. If it’s too big, it will cool the room before sucking out moisture, leaving you feeling clammy.įiguring out the correct size AC for your room involves some math, but it’s pretty easy. If it's too small, it will have to work harder to reach the target temperature, wasting energy. How Do You Calculate What Size Air Conditioner to Buy?īefore purchasing any air conditioner, it’s important to figure out what size unit you need. That way, you’re not wasting energy-and money-cooling an empty room when you aren't there. How to Set Up Two-Factor AuthenticationĪdvanced models even offer energy usage reports and can use your phone's location services to cool down rooms before you arrive.How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac.How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files.

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