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Split System installation specialists
Air Conditioning Expert Split system Installation Title bear. Keeping Brisabane home AC Air Con cool since 2013

Get the right size air conditioner for your home

THE RIGHT SIZE AIR CONDITIONER

COMPLETE ONE STOP AIR CON SIZING GUIDE FOR QUEENSLAND

To get the right size air conditioner for your home – there’s a formula you could use, but it’s far easier to just look at this page. If you want to know the answer and don’t care about the procedure then just read the quick air con sizing guide opposite.

We do 600+ installations every year, and these are the correct sizes. The one thing we know is Split System Air Conditioners. We won’t sell you a unit bigger than what you need to make a few extra bucks. Customer satisfaction is more important than profit. It’s the excellent job done today, which guarantees us work tomorrow.

If you follow my advice about air conditioning you can’t go far wrong.

Just don’t ask my advice on women, gift ideas or fashion. Some things in life are not meant to be understood.

Right size air conditioner Panasonc side mount

THE EASY WAY

Standard Bedroom = 2.5kw

Large Bedroom = 3.5kw

Small Lounge in a unit or flat = 5kw

Lounge in Australian home = 7kw

Lounge in John Farnhams House = 8kw

THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS HERE. THOSE ARE THE CORRECT SIZES. 

There is no need to read the rest of the page unless you are bored or want to look at the pictures. I think it’s a waste of time – and I wrote it. The next two methods are easy, but you’ll only get the same answer as above.

WHAT SIZE AIR CONDITIONER? YOU COULD MEASURE THE AREA 

The next easiest way to find the right size air conditioner you need is to email me a plan or some photos. A house plan is best, but if you don’t have one just take a photo from a good vantage point in the room so I can get an idea of the area and send that through. The email address is top left of every page. Next you could fillout the contact form  Just put your address on there and I can look on the real estate website. Almost every house in every city now has a real estate listing where I can see photos from inside the house, along with a plan and all the rest.

I can mark it up with what’s required and where a split system can or should  be fitted. These two methods are far easier than calling and trying to explain. However, if you have read our sizing page and have a fair idea what you want – the most direct and fastest way to book is to call. 

Example of a plan sent in by customer to find the correct size air conditioner
Example of real estate listing for the house I used to live in before corrupt Queensland police stole it
Picture of a bedroom sent in so we can find the right size air conditioner for this customer

THE HARD WAY – IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DO THE MATH

THEN THIS IS HOW YOU WOULD WORK IT OUT

example of small room that would suit an avanti air conditioner
  1.   The room opposite is 12m squared
  2.   12m x 140 Watts = 1680 watts
  3.    We need 1680 Watts minimum to cool this room
  4.    2000W is the smallest unit that will cool this room
  5.    Most people use a 2.5kw

But if you use an average figure of 140 when multiplying your area, the results should be very close to right. The only thing you have to contend with now is your teenagers turning up the heat in winter while wearing shorts and a t shirt. My advice is to keep the air con and chuck the teenagers, but that’s your call.

right size air conditioner calculation drawing at air conditioners brisbane

When measuring larger areas the 140 figure to multiply with is negotiable. If you’re measuring the lower level of a house then you can use far less power to do the same job, because you have a floor above as insulation. If your home has very little shade or large windows you might bump it up a little. But if you use an average figure of 140 when multiplying your area, the results should be very close to right. The only thing you have to contend with now is your teenagers turning up the heat in winter while wearing shorts and a t shirt. My advice is to keep the air con and chuck the teenagers, but that’s your call.

Brisbane air conditioning expert phone title image

THE RIGHT SIZE

AIR CONDITIONER

Right size air conditioner Panasonc side mount

There’s two ways to work out the right size air conditioner for your home.

THE EASY WAY

  • Standard Bedroom = 2.5kw
  • Large Bedroom = 3.5kw
  • Small Lounge in a unit or flat = 5kw
  • Lounge in standard home = 7kw
  • Lounge in enormous house = 8kw

THE HARD WAY

Measuring up. You will get the same answer both ways, but I know some people will want to verify my recommendation.

We do 600+ air con installations every year, so my quick sizing guide works. If you follow my advice about air conditioning – you can’t go far wrong. Just don’t ask my advice on women, gift ideas or fashion. Some things in life are not meant to be understood.

right size air conditioner calculation drawing at air conditioners brisbane

 

  • 4m x 3m =  12m
  • 12m x 140 Watts = 1680 watts
  • We need 1.680 kw to cool this room
  • 2000W or 2.0 KW is perfect
  • Most people use a 2.5kw
Right size air conditioner childhood bedroom picture from Kilsyth

SMALL BEDROOM

SPLIT SYSTEM

This is an example of the right size air conditioner for most Australian bedrooms. A 2.5 is totally adequate for 90% of all Australian bedrooms up to 18m2.  It doesn’t have to be a bedroom. It could be a study or office the same size.

In this size room a Mitsubishi Avanti 2.5 kw is perfect.

 

Right size air conditioner bedroom plan phone size

 MASTER BEDROOM

SPLIT SYSTEM

This is the Right size air conditioner bedroom image from different angle

The master bedroom is usually larger than the others. It may have an en suite or a walk in robe. If your master has either one of these, it’s best to install the 3.5kw. You might also consider putting a lock on the door, because once the kids find out how cool and comfortable your room is over summer, you can bet they’ll come knocking.

Shaded diagram showing the right size air conditioner for a larger bedroom
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 RIGHT SIZE AIR CONDITIONER FOR A BEDROOM

BEDROOM SIZED AIR CON

This is an example of the right size air conditioner for most Australian small rooms. A 2.5 is totally adequate for 80% of all Australian bedrooms up to 18m2. It might not be a bedroom, it might be a study or a secret room protected by pivoting door – with an arsenal of automatic weapons on racks. But if its less than 20m2 with windoors and doors or strongroom steel that will close, the Mitsubishi Avanti 2.5 kw or a Pansasonic  CS/Cu 25 XKR is perfect.

Right size air conditioner simple cooling plan

MASTER BEDROOM SPLIT SYSTEM

The master bedroom in this house is larger than the others and has a walk in robe. If your master has one of these, or an ensuite, it’s best to install the 3.5kw. You might also consider putting a lock on the door, because once the kids find out how cool and comfortable your room is over summer, you can bet they’ll come knocking.

Right size air conditioner simple cooling plan
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WHAT SIZE SPLIT SYSTEM FOR A UNIT OR FLAT?

THE RIGHT SIZE

AIR CONDITIONER

FOR A UNIT OR FLAT

Example of Australian townhouse for the right size air conditioner page

It’s not hard to find the right size air conditioner for a unit or flat. With any larger area, just work out the sum total of the smaller rooms. In this case we will work out the combined area of Kitchen and living, then add the bedroom. Ideally you would have a split system in the living and one in the bedroom, but you can start by installing one and see how it goes. My priority is always a good night sleep so I would start with the bedroom, but you might think the opposite.

The most important factor when reducing the running costs on your air con is sizing it correctly.Modern Split system air conditioners are superbly efficicent.

right size air conditioner for unit or flat
unit measurement diagram for right size air conditioner page

If we look at the measurements above and imagine we installed only one system in the lounge area, then the results are predictable. The total figure was 4600 so we used a 5kW. The system was able to cool the unit easily. Some flow on into the bedroom occurred, but not a significant amount. Heating is easier to measure as all reverse cycle air conditioners average an extra kW rating when used for heating. If it can cool an area, the system can heat the same place easily.

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COOLING THE MAIN AREA OF AN AVERAGE HOME

COOLING THE MAIN

AREA OF AN

AVERAGE HOME

The right size air conditioner for an average home

YOU COULD MEASURE IT UP

The right size air conditioner for an average home

YOU COULD USE THE MEASUREMENT FORMULA

You’ll get get 25m square. Some people then call me and make a booking to install a 5kw. I ask where it’s going and point out that there’s hallways, doorways and lots of different places your cold air will escape. You need a bigger unit for a lounge room in a family home. Some people accept my advice, others don’t. They shop around until they find someone to install the 5kw because that’s what the formula says. It’s not until summer that they say ‘you know what? That air con man may have been right’.

See the cooling example below and you’ll notice how weak the effect is in the lounge, but even more so in the outlying areas. In this case not only will the 5kw fail to do the job you want, but your power bill is going to be higher than if you used a 6 or 7kw. Why? Because it’s working so much harder to do the same job.

The right size air conditioner for an average home 5kw example
The right size air conditioner for an average home

The calculations above gave us 5kw, but we know that size unit not suitable for most family homes. So let’s consider the 6kw. The diagram is below right. The lounge and kitchen is cooler, the overall effect is far better, but it’s still not quite enough to keep that area cool because of air escape. What happens when we go up just one more size?

The right size air conditioner for an average home
The right size air conditioner for an average home
The right size air conditioner for an average home 6kw example
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WHAT SIZE AIR CON DO I NEED FOR THIS HOME

THE RIGHT SIZE AIR CONDITIONER FOR ALMOST ALL AUSTRALIAN HOMES IS THE 7KW

RIGHT SIZE

AIR CONDITIONER

FOR THIS HOME

Australian house plan showing 7kw air conditioner in lounge right size air conditioner

You can see the difference an extra KW makes to the cooling effect on this home. The entire living / dining / kitchen area are pleasant. The home theatre room is much cooler than outside, even if it doesn’t get as low as the main area. Having the 5 exit points for the air doesn’t effect the performance so much because the 7kw has enough power to deal with it.

The air in the home is recycled through that Split System head unit a number of times each minute, on each occasion dropping the temperature. The cooling effect reaches almost all the way down to the bedrooms at either end. 

The second benefit of installing the right size air conditioner is your reduced running costs. The 7kw uses less power in this situation than a smaller unit. The reason for this is because the 7kw is big enough to handle the job, and spends a lot of its time dormant, on very low speed. The temperature is right where you want it without much effort at all. A 3, 5 or 6 would consume far more power than the 7 in the same position, and none would do the job as well.

The 7 costs a little more up front, but within one summer you’ll understand, and appreciate getting the right advice to begin with. 

Right size air conditioner house example

BIGGER IS NOT  ALWAYS BETTER

Right size air conditioner 7kw example in australian home plan

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Right size air conditioner 8kw example in australian home plan
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE KEEP INCREASING THE AIR CON SIZE?

Upgrading from the 5 to the 6kw  improved the air conditioners performance, so we up-sized the unit. We saw another increase when we went from the 6 to the 7kw, so should we keep going? The short answer is no. Best practise is to up-size the unit just marginally for the area. A size far too large would be counter productive.

If you do really want to know why the 8 won’t be better, then look closely at the head unit when it’s installed. Inside is a thermostat. Once that sensor reaches the desired temperature – the unit slows down and enters a dormant state. This saves you bundles on your power bill, but it means that an 8 will slow down and go to sleep once the main area reaches the intended temperature. The outer areas will not see any difference in cool air because the larger unit won’t put in the effort. The 8kw is not the right size air conditioner for most Australian homes.

The only time you might consider an 8 is in large open areas with very little in the way of relief. We’ve installed 8’s in some homes, but mostly shops and offices. You just don’t need an 8kw in 90% of Australian homes.

Unless you do a very good job of convincing us you need an 8 you get a 7. Don’t waste your money.

Right size air conditioner 8kw example

BIGGER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER WHEN IT COMES TO AIR CON

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THE RIGHT SIZE AIR

CONDITIONER CAN

BE A COMBINATION

Australian house plan showing 7kw air conditioner in lounge

ADD BEDROOM SYSTEM

Australian house plan showing 7kw air conditioner in lounge right size air conditioner

ADD ONE MORE SYSTEM

Australian house plan showing 7kw air conditioner in lounge right size air conditioner

If we were to install a small bedroom air conditioner, what extra benefits could we expect? A decent nights sleep would be the first thing, even on the hottest nights of summer. We would see the smaller unit compliment the larger one, and the air would be getting cooled at both ends of the house. Almost like a game of tennis. One unit cools the air and sends it down toward the second, which then cools it again – and sends it back on its way.

PLACEMENT IS ALMOST

IMPORTANT AS SIZE

Having two well placed splits working together can work wonders in your home. If we look at the new examples, we can see how three well placed splits in a large home can do the same job as ducted air conditioning, at half the cost.

Right size air conditioner split vs ducted coverage and costs

If you’re looking at a ducted system because you would like an evenly cooled home without having to turn on different units I would urge you to get some quotes. A basic example should suffice. A ducted will cost you between 11 and $15,000 to buy and install on a home this size. The running costs over summer are higher than you think. I moved into a home with ducted about four summers ago, and ran it sparingly for the first few months. I still got my first thousand dollar+ power bill.

Split System Air Conditioners went in that weekend, and within three months my power bills were back around the $400 mark each quarter. I ran the splits almost all day every day, and the energy bill was still less than half that of the ducted air con. Had I charged a customer to do the same job it would have set him back maybe $6000.

Installing those three splits would cost $5000 less than a ducted system – and then half what the ducted cost to run. There really is no comparison.

Air Conditioning in Brisbane magic button leading to paradise

PRICES

Air Conditioning in Brisbane magic button leading to paradise

DUCTED

SIZING

QUOTE

Air Conditioning in Brisbane magic button leading to paradise

PLACE

Air Conditioning in Brisbane magic button leading to paradise

BUDGET

 

CONTACT

AC SOUND

BRANDS

BOOKING

THE RIGHT SIZE AIR CONDITIONER CAN ALSO MEAN

THE RIGHT SIZE                  IN THE RIGHT LOCATION                IN COMBINATION.

ADD ONE MORE SYSTEM

Right size air conditioner 8kw example
Right size air conditioner 7kw house example
Right size air conditioner 7kw plus smaller units

If we were to install a small bedroom air conditioner, what extra benefits could we expect? A decent nights sleep would be the first thing, even on the hottest nights of summer. We would see the smaller unit compliment the larger one and the air would be getting cooled at both ends of the house. Almost like a game of tennis. One unit cools the air and sends it down toward the second, which then also cools it – and sends it back on its way to the first.

PLACEMENT SOMETIMES MATTERS MORE THAN SIZE

Having two well placed splits working together can work wonders in your home. If we look at the new examples, we can see how three well placed splits in a large home can do the same job as ducted air conditioning, at half the cost.

If you’re looking at a ducted system because you would like an evenly cooled home without having to turn on different units I would urge you to get some quotes. A basic example should suffice. A ducted will cost you between 11 and $15,000 to buy and install on a home this size. The running costs over summer are higher than you think. I moved into a home with ducted about four summers ago, and ran it sparingly for the first few months. I still got my first thousand dollar+ power bill.

Split System Air Conditioners went in that weekend, and within three months my power bills were back around the $400 mark each quarter. I ran the splits almost all day every day, and the energy bill was still less than half that of the ducted air con. Had I charged a customer to do the same job it would have set him back maybe $6000.

Right size air conditioner house example

 

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THAT’S HALF THE PRICE OF DUCTED – WITH HALF THE RUNNING COSTS.

I KNOW WHAT I WOULD CHOOSE.

SIZING

 

PRICES

 

QUOTE

 

INSTALLS

 

DUCTED

 

CONTACT

 

REBATES

RUBBISH

AC SOUND

BUDGET AC

中國人

BOOKING

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