What size AC for Red Bank, NJ? 2.5 tons for 2,000 sq ft

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

2.5 tons central AC or heat pump, about 28,200 BTU/hr of load

The 20 BTU per square foot chart would put in 3.5 tons, about 49% 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 2.5 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 853 square feet in this climate. For a single room, size by the room: 14.1 BTU/hr per square foot.

The climate it is sized for

Climate from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals at Long Branch-Oakhurst (4.9 mi away). Jul is the hottest month, averaging a high of 83.5°F and a low of 66.8°F, with about 13 days a year at 90°F or more. That gives a design temperature of 88°F against 75°F inside.

What it costs to run

About 1,269 kWh a year at SEER2 14.3, or roughly $306 at New Jersey's average residential rate of 24.09¢ per kWh. Cooling runs 4 months of the year here.

What drives the load in Red Bank

Of the 28,200 BTU/hr, 9,360 comes through walls, roof and windows on a 88°F afternoon (33%), 13,000 is sun on the house (46%), 2,120 is four people and their appliances, and 3,700 is moisture the coil has to wring out of Red Bank's summer air (13%).

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 24,480 BTU/hr before the moisture allowance.

Other house sizes in Red Bank

Single rooms with a window or mini-split unit: a 150 sq ft bedroom needs about 2,100 BTU/hr; a 350 sq ft living room needs about 4,900 BTU/hr; a 600 sq ft open plan kitchen and family room needs about 8,500 BTU/hr.

Month by month in Red Bank

Jul alone uses 35% of the year's cooling energy. The unit runs the equivalent of 645 hours a year at full output.

Red Bank against nearby cities

Of 116 New Jersey cities here, Red Bank has the 110th highest cooling load. The range runs from Hackettstown at 26,400 BTU/hr to Camden at 34,300.

Where Red Bank's weather numbers come from

The nearest NOAA station with full 1991 to 2020 normals is Long Branch-Oakhurst, 4.9 miles from the center of Red Bank at 30 ft above sea level. That is close enough that the station's summers are Red Bank's summers.

4 other cities use the same station and get the same climate inputs. The closest to Red Bank: Eatontown (4 mi away, 2.8 mi from the station), Long Branch (5 mi away, 0.6 mi from the station), Tinton Falls (6 mi away, 5.4 mi from the station), Asbury Park (9 mi away, 5.1 mi from the station). Red Bank is farther from the station than 2 of them.

The sun over Red Bank in late July

At 40.35°N, the noon sun on 21 July stands 70.1° above the horizon over Red Bank and the day runs 14 h 27 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. Shorter days give the house a longer night to shed the day's heat.

12,830 people live in Red Bank, the 81st largest of the 116 New Jersey cities sized on this site. Coordinates used: 40.3487, -74.0665.

Red Bank AC sizing questions