What size AC for Lebanon, NH? 2 tons for 2,000 sq ft

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

2 tons central AC or heat pump, about 24,700 BTU/hr of load

The 20 BTU per square foot chart would put in 3.5 tons, about 70% 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 971 square feet in this climate. For a single room, size by the room: 12.4 BTU/hr per square foot.

The climate it is sized for

Climate from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals at Lebanon Municipal Airport (2.6 mi away). Jul is the hottest month, averaging a high of 82.7°F and a low of 57.8°F, with about 11 days a year at 90°F or more. That gives a design temperature of 87°F against 75°F inside.

What it costs to run

About 579 kWh a year at SEER2 14.3, or roughly $156 at New Hampshire's average residential rate of 26.91¢ per kWh. Cooling runs 3 months of the year here.

What drives the load in Lebanon

Of the 24,700 BTU/hr, 8,640 comes through walls, roof and windows on a 87°F afternoon (35%), 13,000 is sun on the house (53%), 2,120 is four people and their appliances, and 1,000 is moisture the coil has to wring out of Lebanon'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 23,760 BTU/hr before the moisture allowance.

Other house sizes in Lebanon

Single rooms with a window or mini-split unit: a 150 sq ft bedroom needs about 1,900 BTU/hr; a 350 sq ft living room needs about 4,300 BTU/hr; a 600 sq ft open plan kitchen and family room needs about 7,400 BTU/hr.

Month by month in Lebanon

Jul alone uses 38% of the year's cooling energy. The unit runs the equivalent of 335 hours a year at full output.

Lebanon against nearby cities

Of 11 New Hampshire cities here, Lebanon has the 7th highest cooling load. The range runs from Claremont at 24,000 BTU/hr to Manchester at 27,200.

Where Lebanon's weather numbers come from

The nearest NOAA station with full 1991 to 2020 normals is Lebanon Municipal Airport, 2.6 miles from the center of Lebanon at 554 ft above sea level. That is close enough that the station's summers are Lebanon's summers.

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

The sun over Lebanon in late July

At 43.64°N, the noon sun on 21 July stands 66.8° above the horizon over Lebanon and the day runs 14 h 46 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.

15,389 people live in Lebanon, the 9th largest of the 11 New Hampshire cities sized on this site. Coordinates used: 43.6354, -72.2538.

Lebanon AC sizing questions