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

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

2 tons central AC or heat pump, about 24,000 BTU/hr of load

The 20 BTU per square foot chart would put in 3.5 tons, about 75% 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 1,002 square feet in this climate. For a single room, size by the room: 12 BTU/hr per square foot.

The climate it is sized for

Climate from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals at Glens Falls Airport (2.6 mi away). Jul is the hottest month, averaging a high of 81.5°F and a low of 57.8°F, with about 6 days a year at 90°F or more. That gives a design temperature of 86°F against 75°F inside.

What it costs to run

About 512 kWh a year at SEER2 14.3, or roughly $150 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 Glens Falls

Of the 24,000 BTU/hr, 7,920 comes through walls, roof and windows on a 86°F afternoon (33%), 13,000 is sun on the house (54%), 2,120 is four people and their appliances, and 900 is moisture the coil has to wring out of Glens Falls'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 23,040 BTU/hr before the moisture allowance.

Other house sizes in Glens Falls

Single rooms with a window or mini-split unit: a 150 sq ft bedroom needs about 1,800 BTU/hr; a 350 sq ft living room needs about 4,200 BTU/hr; a 600 sq ft open plan kitchen and family room needs about 7,200 BTU/hr.

Month by month in Glens Falls

Jul alone uses 39% of the year's cooling energy. The unit runs the equivalent of 305 hours a year at full output.

Glens Falls against nearby cities

Of 90 New York cities here, Glens Falls has the 71st highest cooling load. The range runs from Gloversville at 20,200 BTU/hr to Spring Valley at 33,400.

Where Glens Falls's weather numbers come from

The nearest NOAA station with full 1991 to 2020 normals is Glens Falls Airport, 2.6 miles from the center of Glens Falls at 321 ft above sea level. That is close enough that the station's summers are Glens Falls's summers.

No other city in this set uses Glens Falls Airport, so this sizing is Glens Falls's alone.

The sun over Glens Falls in late July

At 43.31°N, the noon sun on 21 July stands 67.1° above the horizon over Glens Falls and the day runs 14 h 44 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.

14,455 people live in Glens Falls, the 64th largest of the 90 New York cities sized on this site. Coordinates used: 43.3112, -73.6453.

Glens Falls AC sizing questions