What size AC for Norwich, CT? 2 tons for 2,000 sq ft

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

2 tons central AC or heat pump, about 25,700 BTU/hr of load

The 20 BTU per square foot chart would put in 3.5 tons, about 64% 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 935 square feet in this climate. For a single room, size by the room: 12.8 BTU/hr per square foot.

The climate it is sized for

Climate from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals at Willimantic Windham Airport (14.3 mi away). Jul is the hottest month, averaging a high of 82.8°F and a low of 61.9°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 817 kWh a year at SEER2 14.3, or roughly $224 at Connecticut's average residential rate of 27.47¢ per kWh. Cooling runs 4 months of the year here.

What drives the load in Norwich

Of the 25,700 BTU/hr, 8,640 comes through walls, roof and windows on a 87°F afternoon (34%), 13,000 is sun on the house (51%), 2,120 is four people and their appliances, and 1,900 is moisture the coil has to wring out of Norwich'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 23,760 BTU/hr before the moisture allowance.

Other house sizes in Norwich

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 4,500 BTU/hr; a 600 sq ft open plan kitchen and family room needs about 7,700 BTU/hr.

Month by month in Norwich

Jul alone uses 37% of the year's cooling energy. The unit runs the equivalent of 455 hours a year at full output.

Norwich against nearby cities

Of 21 Connecticut cities here, Norwich has the 18th highest cooling load. The range runs from Groton at 24,800 BTU/hr to Hartford at 29,000.

Where Norwich's weather numbers come from

The nearest NOAA station with full 1991 to 2020 normals is Willimantic Windham Airport, 14.3 miles from the center of Norwich at 246 ft above sea level. That is close enough that the station's summers are Norwich's summers.

No other city in this set uses Willimantic Windham Airport, so this sizing is Norwich's alone.

The sun over Norwich in late July

At 41.55°N, the noon sun on 21 July stands 68.9° above the horizon over Norwich and the day runs 14 h 34 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.

39,993 people live in Norwich, the 15th largest of the 21 Connecticut cities sized on this site. Coordinates used: 41.5480, -72.0895.

Norwich AC sizing questions