In most cities, a 5-ton air conditioning unit will be enough to cool a one story house with around 3,000 square feet of living space. Our HVAC technicians can help you figure out the best size for your one-story home.
If you're wondering what size air conditioner do you need for a 3000 sq ft house. The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) recommends a cooling capacity of around 48,000 BTUs per hour or 3.5 to 4 tons for a house of this size.
The square footage covered by a 3 ton AC unit depends on multiple variable but accounting for a quick estimate, roughly 1500-1800 square feet.
Larger unit may be more efficient (larger condensers generally are), but make sure you don't oversize it. If the unit is oversized it'll cycle more frequently, which is hard on it. Oversized can also cause some issues with humidity if you have any outside air connections.
Larger AC units may cool your home faster, but that means the cooling cycle will end faster and they will shut down faster – only to cycle back on again before very long. This rapid cycling creates a lot of wear and tear on the system, shortening its life and increasing the maintenance needed to keep it running.
Since an oversized AC is too powerful for your home, it will quickly cool your home then shut off, which can raise your energy bills and wear out your AC (from all the starts and stops).
3.5 Tons (42,000 BTUs): Suitable for homes ranging from 2,100 to 2,400 square feet. Installation cost ranges from $3,800 to $5,500. 4 Tons (48,000 BTUs): Suitable for homes ranging from 2,400 to 2,700 square feet. Installation cost ranges from $4,000 to $6,000.
The recommended capacity for a home that is 1,201 to 1,500 square feet is 2.5 tons. For a home 1,501 to 1,800, the recommended capacity is 3 tons. For a 2,000 square-foot home, the best AC capacity is 3.5 tons. Since larger homes are costlier to cool, you'll need a 5-ton unit to cool a 3,000 square-foot home.
The cost of a 4-ton AC unit typically ranges between $4,000 to $5,500. However, this price can vary depending on factors such as the brand, model, energy efficiency rating (SEER), and additional features like advanced filtration systems or smart thermostats.
If you have a house that is bigger than 3,000 square feet or has additional requirements for cooling, then you may need two units. You may also require two air conditioning units if some rooms in your home are isolated from the others.
How much does a 3-ton AC unit cost? The installation costs for a 3-ton air conditioning system generally range between $4,451 and $8,099. However, air conditioner prices vary depending on factors like an HVAC system's type and energy efficiency rating.
The largest residential HVACs generally available are 5-ton units (ton here refers to cooling capacity, not the actual weight of the unit). If your house is so large that it would need six tons or more to effectively cool it, then you'll need to install two or more units.
The rule of thumb is 22-25btu per sq ft. So 4000 sq ft times 25btu is 100k btu which is a little over 8 tons. BUT...that is generally for residential/office with 8-10 foot ceiling height (and a certain amount of windows, not garage doors), and not 19 feet.
First, if the system is too small for the space it is intended to cool, there may be inadequate cooling and an inability to maintain a comfortable temperature. This could result in overworked components due to the excessive strain on the system, leading to higher energy costs and a shortened lifespan of the unit.
How many square feet will a 2-ton AC unit cool? The cooling capacity of an AC unit is measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs) rather than square feet. However, as a general guideline, a 2-ton AC unit is typically sufficient to cool a space of around 900 to 1,300 square feet.
HVAC Pro Cost
Most people pay $500 to $2,500 in labor for AC replacement.
3 tons: 1501-1800 sq. ft. 3.5 tons: 1801-2100 sq. ft.
Is It Better to Oversize or Undersize AC Unit? Neither oversizing nor undersizing your AC unit is ideal. Both scenarios can lead to issues with efficiency, comfort, and longevity of the system.
If your air conditioning system is too big, it cannot completely cool your home. This means that you'll have hot or cold spots throughout your home. An AC system that is too large doesn't run long, so the cool air can't be equally distributed through your home. This causes some areas to be cool while others are warm.
Higher Utility Bills
A bigger unit simply gobbles more power than a smaller one. To make matters worse, your oversized air conditioner will likely never reach its promised level of energy efficiency. Just as it is cycling up to its most efficient level, the thermostat will tell it to shut off again.