Size of A/C Unit

[Tom in PA]

Hi!

I'll start by saying that I know the correct answer is "consult a professional to do a load calculation", but I've consulted two professionals who are coming up with much different answers so I'm feeling stuck.

The house is 2076 square feet, new construction, two-story with most of the square footage on the ground floor. R-19 insulation in exterior walls and ground floor joints, R-30 in ceiling. One big air return, about 12 registers. 2x4 (I'm pretty sure, a slight chance it's 2x6) frame construction. Furnace in crawl space under house. Have some large windows in great room and a glass slider in dining room but these all face north, otherwise normal sized windows. Located in Flagstaff, AZ, elevation 6900'. Average high temperature in July (the hottest month): 82 degrees. All-time record high: 97. Humidity: tends to be quite low.... this is the Southwest. This is a town where most people don't have A/C, and the unit won't be heavily used. You can usually get by with your windows open and ceiling fans. It just gets a little toasty now and then, which is why we want the air.

Once contractor says a 3 ton unit is the way to go, another says 5 ton. Any opinions regarding who is right?

Thanks!

Tom in PA

[RSCamaro]

Well Tom in PA, I think that neither one of those contractors is correct unless they went around your house taking measurements and puting them down on a sheet of paper, or PDA, or computer. When you find a contractor that does this, you'll be in much better shape than the others who are just using the rule of thumb theory.

That would be to stand about 50' ft. from the house and hold up your thumb and see how much it covers the house, if it takes 3 thumbs then you need 3 tons. This is the kind of load calculation most of the a/c companies do most often, or just change out the system like for like.

It's the homeowners responsibility to research the contractor as much as it is the contractors responsibility to do the job correctly. So call all of the contractors up and start asking questions.

...Ron

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68'RS Camaro 88'Formula 00'GT Mustang

[daytona]

I normally go to the neighbors and see what they have ...then you get the same size...that way there is no bickering over who's is bigger

[udarrell]

Here in SW WI we have 2-ton systems on 2000-square footage homes' and they have proper airflow and cool them perfectly! Occasionally, we have hot 95-F muggy weather with a heavy latent load, the 2-ton still gets by, and is optimally sized for 95% of its runtime.

The Summer Design for Flagstaff, AZ (airport), 82-F dry bulb, 55-F wet bulb or around 13% Relative Humidity. With that low a humidity, I am betting a 2-Ton with plenty of airflow would handle any hot weather you have.

Someone needs to do an accurate load calc and sizing job! Never more than 2.5-Ton.

- udarrell

[Noon-Air]

Ummm.... Darryll, how do you figure "Never more than 2.5-Ton" on a 2000sqft home?? Care to come down here and run a couple of loads for me??

[DIDO]

That is so esey get one between (4 ton) sound good to me dido

[Murdentech]

Somewhere between 3 and 5 tons... LOL. Actually, you are probably closer to

5 with that square footage... figure one CFM per square foot at 450 CFM per ton. Puts you at 4.6 tons. However, there is not a 4.5 ton unit manufactured. Also, you are in a low humidity region, so that will lower your calcs. Yet, there are other factors to consider. If you want to be exact, then have a Manual J calculation performed on the structure and you will be sure to have a properly sized system.

If what you say is true about a/c not being needed very often, then you will probably end up being satisfied with a 3.5 or 4 ton unit with a 5 ton blower inside. IMHO you can never have too much airflow thru the system, particularly since you have a relatively low latent load.

[Stormin Mormon]

It's a man thing. Women just care what color is the compartment, and does it match their siding.

[Fat Eddy]

FatEddy

[RSCamaro]

The famous FatEddy I presume? That has the lifetime umm.. well whatever on the other talk forum?

...Ron

--

68'RS Camaro 88'Formula 00'GT Mustang

[Fat Eddy]

That would be correct Camaro

Stop by , there are some familiar faces there/

[RSCamaro]

Maybe I will. It's all good

...Ron

--

68'RS Camaro 88'Formula 00'GT Mustang

[aka-SBM]

You think so? My experence shows otherwise.

When an Affinity is sold, the MEN always call up and go...Can I get that in Blue? Can I get UNC panels for it? The wives always just say...as long as the damned thing works..and they normally write the checks too...