What happens if window air conditioner is too small?

An air conditioner that’s too small will struggle to keep a room at a comfortable temperature. A model that’s too big will cool a room too quickly without removing enough humidity from the air, leaving you cold and clammy. Choose just right and you’ll feel just right—and save money, too.

How much BTU for a bedroom?





The equation for ‘sq ft to BTU’ is quite simple – multiply the sq ft with 20. That means that a 500 sq ft room needs a 10,000 BTU air conditioner.

How many BTU do I need for a 12×12 room?

How many btu do I need for my room?

Room Type Room Size Recommended BTU
12 x 12 room 144 sq ft 5,000 BTU
12 x 24 room 576 sq ft 12,000 BTU
13 x 13 room 169 sq ft 6,000 BTU
14 x 16 room 224 sq ft 6,000 BTU

What size room will a 10000 BTU air conditioner cool?

10,000 BTUs will cover 300 sq. ft. (2,400 cubic feet)

Can a room be too small for an air conditioner?

If your AC is too small for the size of your home, it’ll keep working to reach that temperature, but to no avail because it lacks the capacity to cool such a large space. As a result, it never completes a cycle and runs continuously.

Is it better to oversize or undersize AC?





While an AC’s capacity typically matches its energy usage, an undersized air conditioner will use more power simply because it is likely to run continuously, barely stopping for breath.

Is 8000 BTU enough for a bedroom?

Is An 8,000 BTU Unit Appropriate For Your Needs? An 8,000 BTU window AC or portable air conditioner is capable of cooling most standard bedrooms and offices. If you want to cool a larger space or multiple rooms, an 8,000 BTU air conditioner does not have enough power.

Is 5000 BTU enough for a bedroom?

According to the EPA’s rule of thumb role, 5000 BTU room size should be 250 sq ft. If you have a 150 sq ft room to cool, 5000 BTU will be more than enough.

How many BTU do I need for a 1 bedroom apartment?

How Many Square Feet Will A 5,000 – 24,000 Btu AC Cool

Cooling Capacity (BTU): Room Size: Examples:
8,000 BTU 300 – 350 sq. ft. 18×18 room, studio apartment
9,000 BTU 350 – 400 sq. ft. 18×20 room, studio apartment
10,000 BTU 400 – 450 sq. ft. 20×20 room, 1-bedroom apartment
12,000 BTU 450 – 550 sq. ft. 22×22 room, 22×24 room

How many square feet will a 15000 BTU window unit cool?



Air conditioners rated at 15,000 Btu should be enough to cool most rooms up to about 875 sq. ft.

Are there portable air conditioners that do not need to be vented?

Evaporative air coolers offer a ventless portable air conditioner option. These portable AC units don’t have a hose and deliver cool air in your home by evaporating water. These add moisture and humidity to the air. They are efficient in dry climates but less effective in humid areas.

How big of a room can 8000 BTU cool?

about 350 square feet



At 8,000 BTU, it has the cooling capacity for up to about 350 square feet.

What happens if your window AC is too big?

When an AC system is too big, it won’t run regular cycles. As a result, the cycles will not be long enough to remove humidity from the air (which is a big deal living in Florida). Generally, it takes a cycle of 20 to 30 minutes to cool and dehumidify the air.

Should I oversize my window AC unit?

It is crucial that you purchase the right size air conditioner. An oversize unit will cool but leave a damp and clammy feeling because of high relative humidity. An undersized unit will not operate effectively on very hot days.

What happens if AC is too big for room?

If your air conditioner is too big, you’ll have hot spots – or inconsistent cooling – throughout your home. Hot spots occur most often when cold air doesn’t disperse through the home efficiently enough. You’ll notice that some of your rooms are cool and comfortable, while others are hot and humid.

How do you know if your air conditioner is too big?



4 Signs Your AC System Is Too Big for Your Home

  1. High Humidity. Oversized units don’t run long enough to dehumidify indoor air. …
  2. Short Cycling. Because it’s so large, an oversized AC meets your home’s cooling load in ten minutes or less and then cycles off. …
  3. Hot and Cold Spots. …
  4. Shorter Lifespan and Higher Utility Bills.

How do you know if AC is oversized?

Air conditioner runtime on a hot day
All you need to do is time how long it runs on a hot day. If it runs a lot and still keeps the place cool, you’re in good shape. If it runs only a few minutes at a time and spends the majority of the time turned off, your AC is oversized.

What happens if the BTU is too high?

A unit with too many BTU’s, will cool the room fast, but leave the room humid. Too few BTU’s will never cool the room down and the unit will run incessantly.

Is 9000 BTU too much for a bedroom?



If your room is 10’x 20′ (200 square feet), you’d need to look at a 6,000 BTU unit. Once you get into 340 and 400 square feet per room, you’d need an 8,000 or 9,000 BTU air conditioner, respectively. Kitchens need more cooling power, since you’ll be operating the oven, which adds heat to the room.

Is 9000 BTU enough for a bedroom?

The larger the size of the room, the higher the BTU of the air-conditioner should be. Small rooms (150 square feet or below) will require a unit with around 6,000 BTUs. This is generally appropriate for a single bedroom. For larger rooms (up to 350 square feet), you will need a unit with around 9,000 BTUs.