How many tons is my air conditioner? (2024)

How many tons is my air conditioner?

Simply divide the BTUs by 12,000 to calculate the tonnage of your unit. For example, if your air conditioner is 36,000 BTUs, you have a 3-ton unit. Some manufacturers bury tonnage or BTU information in their model numbers.

How many square feet will a 3-ton AC cool?

Is a 3-ton air conditioner enough for my house? Apart from the capacity of the air conditioner, you also need to account for things like your climate, house size, and existing insulation. In general, a 3-ton air conditioner will work well in an area of around 1,200 square feet.

How do I find out how many BTUs your air conditioner is?

The first place to look is on the unit itself. Usually, the BTU rating is displayed on one side of a window unit with the model number and other essential information, like serial numbers and safety warnings. On other unit types, you should still be able to find it without too much trouble.

How many tons is the average home AC unit?

Tonnage ratings are typically expressed in increments of . 5 tons, so residential air conditioners are usually rated as 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5 or 5 ton units.

Is a 3-ton AC too big for a 1200 sq ft house?

If you have a 1,200-square-foot home, you'd need a two-ton unit. A 2,400-square-foot home would need a four-ton unit. Again, there are 2.5-ton and 3.5-ton units in case your square footage doesn't work out perfectly for a two- or three-ton unit, for instance.

How many square feet will a 5 ton AC unit cool?

How many square feet will a 2.5 ton AC unit cool?

1,201 to 1,500 square feet homes should use 2.5 tons. If your home size is higher than the number above but is less not more than 1,800 square feet, you can go for a three-ton A/C.

How do I tell how many BTUs my model number is?

Find the model number. Within this string of letters and numerals, you should find an even, two-digit number. The possibilities on residential units range from 18 to 60. Divide the number by 12 (which represents 12,000 Btu/hr, or one ton of cooling capacity) to get your AC unit's tonnage.

What size AC unit do I need for a 2400 sq ft house?

How large a room will a 12000 BTU air conditioner cool?

450 – 550 sq. feet: 12,000 BTUs.

How big of a room can 12000 BTU cool?

In our experience, a 12,000 BTU portable can work well in a bedroom up to about 200 square feet, and a 14,000 BTU unit will make some difference up to 400 square feet if you can tolerate the noise.

How many ton AC unit per square foot?

How many tons of AC do I need for 1800 sq ft house?

Here's some math: You need around 20 BTUs per square foot, which is equivalent to 0.0016 tons. For example, a 600-square-foot space requires a 12,000 BTU or 1-ton unit. By those calculations, an average 1,800-square-foot house would need a 3-ton central air conditioning unit.

How do I calculate the tonnage of my house AC?

To estimate your AC tonnage needs, multiply the number of square feet you're cooling times 25. This equals the total number of BTUs you need to adequately cool your space. Next, divide that number by 12,000 to determine the tonnage capability you need in your new air conditioning unit.

Is 3 ton AC too big?

While a local HVAC professional can help you with this, the general rule of thumb is that one ton of AC capacity will cool approximately 500 square feet. So if your home is 1,500 square feet, a two to three-ton unit would be best.

Is it better to undersize or oversize AC?

While an AC's capacity typically matches its energy usage, an undersized air conditioner will use more power simply because it is likely to run continuously, barely stopping for breath.

What happens if AC unit is oversized?

An oversized conditioner will be overly efficient in that it will reach the desired room temperatures too fast, which results in shortened cooling cycles. The stop-start operation caused by these short cycles can put increased strain on the air conditioner, much like what happens when it is undersized.

What happens if AC is too big?

Air conditioners that are too big consume more energy, endure more wear and tear, and simply don't work as well or as long as an appropriately sized unit. This can cause higher utility bills, more repairs, and discomfort in your home.

Does a higher SEER cool better?

Most industry experts compare a SEER rating to a car's fuel efficiency. The higher the SEER, the more efficient the cooling system should be.

What is a good SEER rating?

A good SEER rating is typically 14 or higher.

The average efficiency rating for a central air conditioner in operation today is 16 but high energy-efficient models can have ratings as high as 23.

How many square feet does a 3.5 ton AC unit cover?

3.5 tons: 1801-2100 sq. ft. 4 tons: 2101-2400 sq. ft.

How do I know if my AC unit is big enough?

Use these guidelines to find the appropriate BTU/hour rating. You need approximately 6,000 BTUs to cool an area under 300 square feet, 10,000 BTUs for 301 to 549 sqft., 16,000 BTUs for 550 to 999 sqft., 22,000 BTUs for 1,000 to 1,199 sqft., 30,000 BTUs for 1,500 to 1,999 sqft.

Can 2 ton AC cool two rooms?

To avoid calculations, the rule of thumb says a 1 ton AC covers up to 100 square feet, 1.5-ton covers around 180 square feet and a 2 ton AC can cool up to 240 square feet of space.

What is the difference between a 2 ton and 3 ton air conditioner?

HVAC experts eventually divided that number by 24 hours and came up with 12,000 BTU/1-ton AC capacity. Using that measurement, a two-ton AC unit will remove 24,000 BTUs, while a three-ton AC unit will remove 36,000 BTUs. Therefore, the more tonnage the AC unit is rated for, the more air it can cool down.

What size air conditioner do I need for 1500 square feet?

What size air conditioner do I need for a 1,500 square foot house? A 2.5 ton air conditioner is best because about 30,000 BTU is needed for a house that's 1,500 square feet.