What size AC for River Falls, WI? 2 tons for 2,000 sq ft

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

2 tons central AC or heat pump, about 24,900 BTU/hr of load

The 20 BTU per square foot chart would put in 3.5 tons, about 69% 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 965 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 River Falls (0.8 mi away). Jul is the hottest month, averaging a high of 81.5°F and a low of 58.3°F, with about 7 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 598 kWh a year at SEER2 14.3, or roughly $114 at Wisconsin's average residential rate of 19.05¢ per kWh. Cooling runs 3 months of the year here.

What drives the load in River Falls

Of the 24,900 BTU/hr, 7,920 comes through walls, roof and windows on a 86°F afternoon (32%), 13,000 is sun on the house (52%), 2,120 is four people and their appliances, and 1,800 is moisture the coil has to wring out of River Falls'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 23,040 BTU/hr before the moisture allowance.

Other house sizes in River Falls

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 River Falls

Jul alone uses 37% of the year's cooling energy. The unit runs the equivalent of 344 hours a year at full output.

River Falls against nearby cities

Of 98 Wisconsin cities here, River Falls has the 53rd highest cooling load. The range runs from Two Rivers at 20,200 BTU/hr to La Crosse at 29,800.

Where River Falls's weather numbers come from

The nearest NOAA station with full 1991 to 2020 normals is River Falls, 0.8 miles from the center of River Falls at 940 ft above sea level. That is close enough that the station's summers are River Falls's summers.

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

The sun over River Falls in late July

At 44.86°N, the noon sun on 21 July stands 65.5° above the horizon over River Falls and the day runs 14 h 54 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.

17,802 people live in River Falls, the 49th largest of the 98 Wisconsin cities sized on this site. Coordinates used: 44.8608, -92.6257.

River Falls AC sizing questions