Air conditioners provide a constant stream of cold air, which cools down the surrounding room. The amount of cold air put off by the machine is referred to as the BTUs. The size of the air conditioner typically relates to the amount of space it cools, with smaller units best suited for smaller rooms. The dimensions of an air conditioner vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Air conditioners work by pulling humidity out of the surrounding area or room. The machine has different settings that determine how cold the room gets. Many air conditioners also have a fan setting that provides cool air to the room, without removing the humidity. Window-mount air conditioners sit inside a window of the room, with most of the machine hanging outside.
According to Dimensions Guide, the smallest air conditioner is the Genesis 13 from McLean Thermal Management West. The air conditioner is just over 13 inches high, has a width of 14.25 inches, and is 7.9 inches deep. The overall unit weighs 48 pounds.
The number of BTUs produced by the machine determines how well it works in a given space. Rooms of 200 square feet or less need an air conditioner that produces 5,000 to 8,000 BTUs. An air conditioner that produces 9,000 to 10,000 BTUs is designed for a room of up to 350 square feet. You also have machines putting out up to 12,000 BTUs for a 450 square foot room and machines producing 15,000 BTUs for a 600 square foot room. The largest air conditioners are designed for rooms of up to 10,000 square feet and produce up to 32,000 BTUs.
The actual dimensions or size of the air conditioner typically relate to the BTUs it produces. For example, the 5,000 BTU air conditioner from Frigidaire is just 16 inches wide, 12 inches high, and 13.5 inches deep, while the 5,350 BTU air conditioner from Daewoo is 17.5 inches wide, 12.5 inches high, and 14.5 inches deep. The 9,900 BTU air conditioner from GE measures 26 inches wide, nearly 16 inches high, and almost 17 inches deep. Window-mount air conditioners typically measure less than 27 inches wide because the units must fit inside a standard window. The height of the air conditioners is also fairly standard, as the height of windows doesn’t vary much.