What size AC for Anchorage, AK? 1.5 tons for 2,000 sq ft

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

1.5 tons central AC or heat pump, about 15,700 BTU/hr of load

The 20 BTU per square foot chart would put in 3.5 tons, about 167% 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 1.5 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 1,526 square feet in this climate. For a single room, size by the room: 7.9 BTU/hr per square foot.

The climate it is sized for

Climate from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals at Anchorage Merrill Field (1.4 mi away). Jul is the hottest month, averaging a high of 68.4°F and a low of 53.9°F, with about 0 days a year at 90°F or more. That gives a design temperature of 72°F against 75°F inside.

What it costs to run

About 25 kWh a year at SEER2 14.3, or roughly $7 at Alaska's average residential rate of 27.32¢ per kWh. Cooling runs 0 months of the year here.

What drives the load in Anchorage

Of the 15,700 BTU/hr, 0 comes through walls, roof and windows on a 72°F afternoon (0%), 13,000 is sun on the house (83%), 2,120 is four people and their appliances, and 600 is moisture the coil has to wring out of Anchorage's summer air (4%).

Sun is the biggest share here, more than heat through the walls, so shading west windows and a light roof cut the size you need more than extra insulation would. Sensible heat totals 15,120 BTU/hr before the moisture allowance.

Other house sizes in Anchorage

Single rooms with a window or mini-split unit: a 150 sq ft bedroom needs about 1,200 BTU/hr; a 350 sq ft living room needs about 2,800 BTU/hr; a 600 sq ft open plan kitchen and family room needs about 4,700 BTU/hr.

Month by month in Anchorage

Jul alone uses 60% of the year's cooling energy. The unit runs the equivalent of 23 hours a year at full output.

Anchorage against nearby cities

Of 4 Alaska cities here, Anchorage has the 2nd highest cooling load. The range runs from Wasilla at 15,700 BTU/hr to Fairbanks at 17,200.

Where Anchorage's weather numbers come from

The nearest NOAA station with full 1991 to 2020 normals is Anchorage Merrill Field, 1.4 miles from the center of Anchorage at 126 ft above sea level. That is close enough that the station's summers are Anchorage's summers.

No other city in this set uses Anchorage Merrill Field, so this sizing is Anchorage's alone.

The sun over Anchorage in late July

At 61.22°N, the noon sun on 21 July stands 49.2° above the horizon over Anchorage and the day runs 17 h 41 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. Long days mean the house keeps gaining heat into the evening, well after the outdoor peak.

289,600 people live in Anchorage, the largest of the 4 Alaska cities sized on this site. Coordinates used: 61.2181, -149.9003.

Anchorage AC sizing questions