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Air Conditioner Size Guide: What Size AC Do You Need?
4 minute read • Last update July 2024
What size air conditioner do I need?
To find the right size air conditioner, multiply your square feet of living space by 20. That helps you calculate how many BTUs (British Thermal Units) you need. Use our handy chart to match up your home size to the correct size cooling system.
| Square Footage | BTUs Needed | AC Size in Tons |
|---|---|---|
| Under 600 | 12,000 | 1 |
| 600-1,000 | 18,000 | 1.5 |
| 1,000-1,500 | 24,000 | 2 |
| 1,500-2,000 | 30,000 | 2.5 |
| 2,000-2,500 | 34,000 | 3 |
| 2,500-3,300 | 42,000 | 3.5 |
Air conditioning units come in various sizes, typically measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units) or tons. Common residential sizes range from 1.5 tons (18,000 BTUs) to 5 tons (60,000 BTUs). The air conditioner size your central AC system requires will depend on the total square footage of your living space and each individual room size within it.
When shopping for an AC unit, it’s crucial to match each unit’s capacity to the size of the space it will be cooling. An undersized unit will struggle to cool your home, leading to constant running, reduced cooling power, and higher energy costs. However, contrary to popular belief, a larger system doesn’t necessarily optimize performance. Rather, oversized units can cool too quickly, resulting in a short cycle, uneven cooling, and increased wear and tear.
Here are some general tips for selecting the right size AC unit:
- Know your space – Measure the square footage of the area you want to cool. This is the starting point for determining appropriate air conditioner sizing.
- Understand the required BTUs – The higher the BTU rating, the larger the area the system can cool. As a general rule, all manufacturers encode air conditioner size into the model number.
- Check the energy efficiency rating – Look for units with a high SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating to ensure maximum efficiency per square foot.
- Consult an expert – Hire a professional HVAC technician to perform a detailed residential load calculation, advise you on system capacity, and recommend the air conditioner size.
How to calculate air conditioner size for a house
Having established that choosing the right size air conditioner is essential for maintaining comfort and efficiency, let’s examine a quick reference air conditioner size chart, review some specific examples for common home sizes, and outline a simple formula for custom calculations for properties with an alternative square footage range.
A simple formula for sizing air conditioners
If your home doesn’t fit neatly into the air conditioner unit size guide above, or you’re unsure about which AC unit size would be best, use the following process and formula:
- Measure the length and width of each room you want to cool, then simply multiply the length by the width to calculate the square footage.
- Add your calculations for each room together to get the total square footage.
- Use the formula Total Square Footage x 25 to determine the required BTUs.
For example, if your home is 1,200 square feet:
1,200 x 25 = 30,000 BTU
What size air conditioner for 500 square feet?
As you can see from the AC size chart above, a space of under 600 square feet will typically require a 12,000 BTU size air conditioner to provide efficient cooling without overloading the unit. As a general rule, a 500-square-foot space equates to a small one-bedroom home or apartment with a kitchen, bathroom, and separate living room.
What size air conditioner for 1000 square feet?
A 1,000-square-foot area typically corresponds to a modest two-bedroom apartment or a cozy two-bedroom house with a kitchen, dining area, one or two bathrooms, and a living room. An additional person and sleeping space usually require a unit with 24,000 BTUs to allow for consistent comfort across multiple rooms.
What size air conditioner for 2000 square feet?
For a 2,000-square-foot home, you’re likely looking at a spacious three-bedroom house with a kitchen, dining area, two or more bathrooms, a living room, and possibly a separate family room or office space. As you can see, the number of additional rooms can greatly affect proper air conditioner sizing, so you’d need a 34,000 BTU air conditioner for a home this size.
What size air conditioner for 3000 square feet?
To increase capacity to a 48,000 BTU system type, you’d typically be residing in a substantial house with a second floor comprising around four bedrooms, a kitchen, dining area, multiple bathrooms, spacious living room, family room, and potentially additional rooms like a study or home gym.
Factors that affect air conditioner size
Aside from the basics of room size and total square footage, there are several additional factors that can influence the size of the air conditioner you need:
- Ceiling height – Homes with higher ceilings have greater air space to cool and require more BTUs. Standard calculations usually assume an eight-foot ceiling.
- Your home’s insulation – Houses with additional insulation retain cool air better, while poorly insulated homes require more BTUs.
- Windows – Newer-style windows are better at keeping cool air in, whereas older-style windows are less energy-efficient and may require a more powerful unit.
- Sun exposure– Rooms on the south or west sides of buildings that receive more sunlight typically require more cooling power.
- Number of occupants – People generate heat. So, the more people that regularly occupy a property, the more BTUs you’ll need.
- Appliances and electronics – All electronic devices generate additional heat, which can significantly affect how much energy you use. Using appliances and electronics with an ENERGY STAR label should help with this.
- Outdoor vs window units – An outdoor unit setup will typically have a higher cooling capacity than window air conditioners.
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