What size air conditioner do you need?
Not sure what size air conditioner you need? Use our free sizing calculator to estimate the cooling capacity, measured in kilowatts (kW), for a room in your Adelaide home. Enter the room dimensions and a few details for a guide figure, then book a professional assessment from T&K Airpower for an accurate recommendation.
Air conditioner sizing calculator
Estimate the cooling capacity you need for a room in Adelaide.
recommended cooling capacity (guide range 2.8 to 3.4 kW)
A guide only. Windows, floor plan, orientation and how you use the room all affect sizing. For an accurate recommendation, book a professional assessment.
Book an assessmentHow air conditioner sizing works
Getting the size right matters. An undersized unit struggles to cool and runs constantly, while an oversized unit short-cycles, wastes energy and controls humidity poorly. The calculator starts from a base cooling load for your room type, then adjusts for ceiling height, insulation and sun exposure. Adelaide’s hot, dry summers mean rooms here generally need a little more capacity than cooler parts of the country.
Frequently asked questions
What size air conditioner do I need for a room?
As a rough guide, an average living room in Adelaide needs around 150 watts of cooling per square metre and a bedroom around 130 watts, so a 20 square metre living room needs roughly 3 kW. Insulation, ceiling height, windows and orientation all change this, so use the calculator above and book an assessment to confirm.
Is a bigger air conditioner always better?
No. An oversized air conditioner cools quickly then switches off, cycling on and off repeatedly. This wastes energy, wears the unit out faster and leaves the air feeling cold and clammy because it does not run long enough to remove humidity. The right size for the room is more efficient and comfortable.
Can T&K Airpower help me choose and install the right unit?
Yes. Our team assesses your room, insulation, windows and how you use the space, then recommends the right capacity and system type. Call 08 8296 7888 or book online and we will take care of it.
What happens if my air conditioner is too small for the room?
It runs constantly trying to reach the set temperature, struggles on the hottest days, uses more energy and wears out sooner. An undersized unit is one of the most common reasons a system cannot keep up in an Adelaide summer, so getting the size right from the start matters.
How do windows and a west-facing room change the size I need?
Quite a lot. Large windows, west-facing aspect and poor insulation all add to the cooling load, so a sunny room can need noticeably more capacity than a shaded room of the same size. The insulation and sun exposure option in the calculator adjusts for this, but for rooms with big areas of glass it is worth booking an assessment.
What size air conditioner do I need for an open-plan living area?
Open-plan kitchen, living and dining spaces behave like one large room, so add the floor areas together and treat high ceilings and large windows as extra load. Open-plan areas often suit a larger split system or a zoned ducted system rather than a small wall unit. Use the calculator for a guide, then we can confirm the best system type for the space.
