If you need an AC that small, you are much better off going with a ductless mini-split system. The 1-ton units are very rarely installed as they are too small for a “CENTRAL AC” application.
Prices for central air units vary primary based on size (tonnage). If the house does not have a ductwork system, the cost of installing central air will skyrocket to as much as $8,000-10,000+
On average, homeowners report spending $3,900 – 5,000 to install a 2.5 ton central air system in a house that has functional ductwork.įixing or changing the ductwork to accommodate the AC system can add as much as $3,000-4,000 to the total price.
We will also show you how to do a DIY estimate to figure out the central AC unit size you need.īefore we get into sizing a residential central air unit, lets take a quick look at pricing. Lets take a look at what this cooling load calculation entails and why its important to get it. He will come in for an in-house estimate and tell you exactly what size central AC you need.
If you are looking for the most accurate size calculation for a central air system, the best course of action is to get free estimates from licensed HVAC installers.Ī pro will have a comprehensive, professionally designed HVAC calculator that can do a complete cooling load calculation.
LESS in Florida (zone 1) vs Montana (zone 5)įor the most accurate heat load estimate and ac equipment recommendation, use our advanced Heat Load Calculator (BTUs) DIY vs Professional AC Size Estimate For example, any given central air unit size will cool about 200-300 sq.ft. In older homes, many factors will skew this estimate, and you may require a larger ac unit size to cool your house, depending on the factors we will discuss.ĭon’t forget that the climate zone you live in as well as the temperature at which you would like to keep your home will also make a big difference in the size of the ac unit that would work best. This estimate is most accurate in new construction or newer homes that have proper insulation. In general, you should have approximately 1 ton of ac capacity to cool 600 sq.ft. Again, the primary difference that is “visible” to homeowners, is the ability to heat the house. Heat Pumps are generally more efficient than traditional ACs, and with addition of a reversing valve, they can change the refrigerant flow when needed, and change from Cooling to Heating mode!Īs far as efficiency ratings go, a 16 SEER Heat Pump is just as efficient as 16 SEER traditional AC, and the size in TONs, which is required to cool your house is the same.
This is because regular Central AC will max out at 16 SEER.Īll residential central systems with efficiency of 17 SEER or higher, available on the market today are HEAT PUMPs, which can also heat your home in moderately cold temperatures (above 32☏). NOTE: When calculating AC efficiency over 16 SEER, you will get replacement cost for Central Heat Pump systems, instead of regular Central AC.
Your average energy saving from replacing a 9 SEER AC with a 16 SEER ac will be $450-780 / year, plus you can get Energy Efficiency Rebates in most states!
With that calculator, you can also estimate your energy savings from replacing your old 9-13 SEER AC with something like a 16-20 SEER two-stage AC / Heat Pumps. The calculator is using live power cost feed from US Department of Energy, which is updated every month, to give you most accurate estimates of power costs. PRO TIP: Use our new AC Energy Cost calculator, to get an idea of how much it costs you to operate your Central Air Conditioner, based on your location, AC size, SEER rating, cooling days and local electric costs. On the other hand, installing a central AC that is too small will not keep your house cool! So while you will be saving money, you will not have the optimal temperature control. Today electricity is very expensive (anywhere from $0.12 / kWh in most southern states to $0.25-$0.45 / kWh in CA, MA, NJ, and most of New England) and you don’t want to waste it on running central air that is too big. The smallest central air conditioning unit is 18,000 BTUs (1.5 tons), while the largest is 60,000 BTUs (5 tons). Getting the right size AC unit for your house is very important if you want to have the desired level of comfort and good energy efficiency.