How big of an AC unit do I need for 1, 500 sq ft?

To properly get the tonnage of the AC you need, you can use the AC tonnage calculator here: For example, a standard 1,500 sq ft house would need a 2.5-ton air conditioner. To help us out, here is a quick table showing how many tons (and BTU) air conditioners we need for certain square footage:

How much air conditioner tonnage per square foot?

According to the DOE, “…an air conditioner generally needs 20 BTU for each square foot of living space.” We need to convert BTU to tonnage. 1 ton equals 12,000 BTU. That means that, on average, we will need 0.0016 tons per square foot.

How is the size of an AC unit determined?

Consequently, AC sizing involves determining the home’s cooling load: the exact capacity in BTUs per hour and cubic feet per minute of airflow required to maintain a 78 degree temperature in the house. Residential central air conditioners range in size from 1.5 to 5 tons. Unit sizes go up in half ton increments:

What’s the difference between BTUs and tonnage of AC units?

Well, when we talk about BTUs in relation to AC it refers to the amount of heat that the unit can remove from the air per hour. So a model with a higher BTU rating has more cooling power. When we talk about air conditioner tonnage, a one ton unit is equal to 12,000 BTUs.

How big is a mini split AC unit?

When you calculate the tonnage, you can check out several 1-4 ton mini-split air conditioners here: Single Zone Mini Split ACs: 1 Ton or 12,000 BTU. Estimated square footage: 600 sq ft. Dual Zone Mini Split ACs: About 2 Tons or 24,000 BTU. Estimated square footage: 1,200 sq ft. 3-Zone Mini Split ACs: About 3 Tons or 36,000 BTU.