What size AC for Binghamton, NY? 2 tons for 2,000 sq ft

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

2 tons central AC or heat pump, about 21,800 BTU/hr of load

The 20 BTU per square foot chart would put in 3.5 tons, about 93% 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 2 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 1,102 square feet in this climate. For a single room, size by the room: 10.9 BTU/hr per square foot.

The climate it is sized for

Climate from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals at Binghamton (7.8 mi away). Jul is the hottest month, averaging a high of 78.4°F and a low of 59.4°F, with about 2 days a year at 90°F or more. That gives a design temperature of 82°F against 75°F inside.

What it costs to run

About 500 kWh a year at SEER2 14.3, or roughly $146 at New York's average residential rate of 29.26¢ per kWh. Cooling runs 3 months of the year here.

What drives the load in Binghamton

Of the 21,800 BTU/hr, 5,040 comes through walls, roof and windows on a 82°F afternoon (23%), 13,000 is sun on the house (60%), 2,120 is four people and their appliances, and 1,600 is moisture the coil has to wring out of Binghamton's summer air (7%).

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 20,160 BTU/hr before the moisture allowance.

Other house sizes in Binghamton

Single rooms with a window or mini-split unit: a 150 sq ft bedroom needs about 1,600 BTU/hr; a 350 sq ft living room needs about 3,800 BTU/hr; a 600 sq ft open plan kitchen and family room needs about 6,500 BTU/hr.

Month by month in Binghamton

Jul alone uses 37% of the year's cooling energy. The unit runs the equivalent of 328 hours a year at full output.

Binghamton against nearby cities

Of 90 New York cities here, Binghamton has the 84th highest cooling load. The range runs from Gloversville at 20,200 BTU/hr to Spring Valley at 33,400.

Where Binghamton's weather numbers come from

The nearest NOAA station with full 1991 to 2020 normals is Binghamton, 7.8 miles from the center of Binghamton at 1,703 ft above sea level. That is close enough that the station's summers are Binghamton's summers.

2 other cities use the same station and get the same climate inputs. The closest to Binghamton: Johnson City (3 mi away, 5.3 mi from the station), Endicott (8 mi away, 8.1 mi from the station). Binghamton is farther from the station than 1 of them.

The sun over Binghamton in late July

At 42.10°N, the noon sun on 21 July stands 68.3° above the horizon over Binghamton and the day runs 14 h 37 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.

46,773 people live in Binghamton, the 15th largest of the 90 New York cities sized on this site. Coordinates used: 42.1013, -75.9094.

Binghamton AC sizing questions