What size AC for Albuquerque, NM? 3 tons for 2,000 sq ft

What size AC a 2,000 sq ft house in Albuquerque needs

3 tons central AC or heat pump, about 35,600 BTU/hr of load

The 20 BTU per square foot chart would put in 3.5 tons, about 18% more than this climate needs. An oversized unit cools the air fast, shuts off before it pulls moisture out, and leaves the house cold and clammy.

If a contractor quotes you more than 3 tons for an average 2,000 sq ft house here, ask to see the Manual J load calculation behind it before you sign. That works out to one ton per 674 square feet in this climate. For a single room, size by the room: 17.8 BTU/hr per square foot.

The climate it is sized for

Climate from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals at Albuquerque International Airport (4.7 mi away). Jul is the hottest month, averaging a high of 91.2°F and a low of 66.5°F, with about 64 days a year at 90°F or more. That gives a design temperature of 97°F against 75°F inside.

What it costs to run

About 1,998 kWh a year at SEER2 14.3, or roughly $306 at New Mexico's average residential rate of 15.34¢ per kWh. Cooling runs 5 months of the year here.

What drives the load in Albuquerque

Of the 35,600 BTU/hr, 15,840 comes through walls, roof and windows on a 97°F afternoon (44%), 13,000 is sun on the house (37%), 2,120 is four people and their appliances, and 4,600 is moisture the coil has to wring out of Albuquerque's summer air (13%).

Heat through the shell is the biggest share here, so insulation and air sealing cut the size you need more than shading would. Sensible heat totals 30,960 BTU/hr before the moisture allowance.

Other house sizes in Albuquerque

Single rooms with a window or mini-split unit: a 150 sq ft bedroom needs about 2,700 BTU/hr; a 350 sq ft living room needs about 6,200 BTU/hr; a 600 sq ft open plan kitchen and family room needs about 10,700 BTU/hr.

Month by month in Albuquerque

Jul alone uses 30% of the year's cooling energy. The unit runs the equivalent of 802 hours a year at full output.

Albuquerque against nearby cities

Of 19 New Mexico cities here, Albuquerque has the 14th highest cooling load. The range runs from Las Vegas at 25,500 BTU/hr to Sunland Park at 44,800.

Where Albuquerque's weather numbers come from

The nearest NOAA station with full 1991 to 2020 normals is Albuquerque International Airport, 4.7 miles from the center of Albuquerque at 5,310 ft above sea level. That is close enough that the station's summers are Albuquerque's summers.

1 other city uses the same station and get the same climate inputs. The closest to Albuquerque: Rio Rancho (13 mi away, 17.4 mi from the station). Albuquerque sits closer to the station than any of them, so its numbers are the best measured of the group.

The sun over Albuquerque in late July

At 35.10°N, the noon sun on 21 July stands 75.3° above the horizon over Albuquerque and the day runs 14 h 01 min from sunrise to sunset. A lower noon sun puts more of the day's heat on east and west walls than on the roof, which is why shading west glass pays off here. Shorter days give the house a longer night to shed the day's heat.

560,326 people live in Albuquerque, the largest of the 19 New Mexico cities sized on this site. Coordinates used: 35.1048, -106.6468.

Albuquerque AC sizing questions