How to Select an Air Conditioner for a Room

Deciding on the right air conditioner for your space doesn’t have to be a difficult exercise, though there are some simple things to take into consideration. The key thing that you will want to ensure is that the unit has enough power to effectively cool the room, without being too powerful which may waste power unnecessarily. If you’re looking to cool just one room a reverse cycle split system is likely the best and most cost-effective option.

Start by working out the square meterage of the room. Take out a tape measure and note down the length and the width of the room (an approximate is fine if you have an oddly shaped room) and then multiply the length by the width to give you the meters square.

You’ll need a bare minimum of 1.5 kilowatts of cooling capacity per 10 square meters of space that needs to be cooled. Though if you have high ceilings, poor insulation, the room includes a kitchen, the room receives direct sunlight, you live in a hot climate or if the unit will be on the second floor you may need a few extra kilowatts to ensure the space is cooled efficiently.

The guide below will ensure you have plenty of power to cool your desired space.

• Small Room - 10 - 20m2: 3.5kW
• Medium Room - 20 - 40m2 - 5.2kW
• Large Room - 40 - 60m2 - 7.0kW

Reverse Cycle Split Systems are a great option for cooling (and heating) your home, particularly when you want to focus on and control the temperature in a specific room. Compared to other types of cooling systems, there is minimal need for ducts and mounting which means they can be more cost effective to install and also maintain over time.

Depending on the size and layout of your home, you may need 2-4 strategically placed Reverse units, or you may be able to get away with just one. Cook & Bathe have a range of reverse cycle split systems in varying kilowatts so that you can find the right solution for the room in concern.