AC is an essential part of any house or building. This keeps the building at the right temperature, suitable for the people who are in the building. There are various sizes of house available in the current market which requires various sizes of AC.
You may ask what size ac you need for 1200 sq ft. Let us answer the question that you are looking for and provide you some additional information regarding the matter.
Ac size for 1200 sq ft:
1.75 – 2 tons or 21,000 – 24,000 BTU is the appropriate size for a 1200 sq ft area. Although, the size of the ac will vary based on the working limit of the ac unit you will be using and the environment temperature of the area you live in. Based on the information, you might need a bigger ac size.
AC size is usually dependent on various things. The region you are living, the outside temperature and many more factors have a significant role in choosing the ac size. This has to be appropriately selected for the best possible cooling results.
The ac size is usually referred to as tons and BTU. This size is calculated through a specific rule. The size of an ac refers to how much space it can cool adequately without any external or additional assistance.
Among the room sizes popular for cooling by an ac, 1200 sq ft is widely found. Although 1200 sq ft does not require any heavy cooling solution, choosing the right ac size is crucial for effective cooling. It is seen that a 1.75 tons ac is used to cool a 1200 sq ft area.
1.75 tons ac has a cooling capacity of 21,000 BTU.
This is the minimum ac size for a 1200 sq ft area. But you may need a bigger ac to cool the area properly. The reason behind this may be the weather or geographical placement of your area. The number of people that will be in the area is another factor as well.
Thus, you may need an ac size up to 2 tons or 24,000 BTU.
For 1200 sq ft space, 1.5 – 1.75 tons or 18,000 – 21,000 BTU window ac is the correct size. This size may vary based on the number of people that are in the room and the weather condition in your area.
If the space is in a warm place, you may need to increase the size by around 10 – 15 percent. You need to add another 600 BTU while calculating the size for every additional person that may stay in the room.
So, to choose the right window ac size for your 1200 sq ft room, you need to have a clear picture of the weather condition of your space. It would be best if you also knew how many people would stay in the room.
How do I calculate what size air conditioner I need?
You need to know the ways to calculate the size of a conditioner you will need in your room. There is a specific rule to calculate it. Using that rule, you can calculate the size of the air conditioner that you need.
At first, you will need to know the length and width of the space. This is the first step of calculating the size of a room. After you find the value, multiply them. The value that you will get is a whole number. After that, you will need to multiply the value by 20 or 25.
If you want to use a window ac, you need to multiply by 20. But if you are using any other air conditioner type, you have to multiply by 20. The value you will get is the size of the air conditioner you will need for your space.
If you want to convert the size from BTU to tons, you just need to keep in mind that 12,000 BTU is equivalent to 1 ton. Therefore, if you divide the value that you got from the calculation and divide it by 12,000, you will get the air conditioner size for your space in tons.
What type of Air Conditioner is best for a 1200 sq ft space?
There are many types of Air Conditioners available in the current market. Among these air conditioners, there are a few which stand out. Let us help you find the best air conditioner types for a 1200 sq ft space.
Split Air Conditioner:
Split Air Conditioners are also known as Through-The-Wall Air Conditioners. This is commonly used these days in 1200 sq ft spaces. There are specific pros to using a Split Air Conditioner.
At first, you will not have to use the space of the window in order to set the unit. This saves a lot of space in your window. Another big pro of this type of air conditioner is that you can set the air conditioner at any place inside the building.
As the air conditioner does not require the outdoor unit to be close to the indoor unit, you can increase the length of the connection and fulfill your cooling needs.
Window Air Conditioner:
Window Air Conditioner is another popular air conditioner type available in the market. It is widely used in various regions. The biggest pro of this type of air conditioner is that it is much more energy efficient than other air conditioner types available in the market.
Portable Air Conditioner:
Portable Air Conditioner is the most flexible air conditioner type available in the current market. It is an ideal air conditioner type for a 1200 sq ft space.
The most noteworthy advantage of using this air conditioner is that you can move it anywhere you like and use it anywhere you need.
Things to consider before choosing an AC size for a 1200 sq ft home:
You should consider a few things before choosing an AC size for a 1200 sq ft home. Some of them are given below –
Geographical location:
Your home’s geographical location is crucial to choosing the right AC size. There are many recommended AC sizes for a 1200 sq ft home, but the exact size of the AC depends on where your home is.
There are some regions where the heat is very high during the summer and there are some regions where the heat is not that much compared to others.
If you live in a warmer region, it is best to purchase the highest recommended cooling capacity AC. On the other hand, you can purchase a lower BTU AC if you live in a comparatively lower warm region.
The number of people:
The number of people in your home is another matter you need to keep in mind while choosing the size of the AC. You may find the AC’s size by multiplying the home’s length and width and then multiplying it again with 20 or 25.
But the number of people increases the BTU requirement up to 600 per person. So, it would be best if you had a clear idea about how many people will be in your home.
Access to sunlight:
Direct access to sunlight is another fact that needs to be considered when choosing the AC size for your 1200 sq ft home. If your room is very sunny, the required BTU increases around 10 – 15 percent. The opposite also happens if the room is dark.
Air Conditioner Cost for 1200 sq ft:
Well, in order to get an air conditioner for 1200 sq ft, first you’ll need to get an AC, besides running that will cost you too. Bear with us and find the cost of an AC for 1200 sq ft –
AC price:
Depending on the type of AC you purchase, the prices will be around 400$ – 2000$. The cheapest option would be to purchase a portable AC. These cost around 400$ – 600$ depending on the number of features and efficiency.
It will cost you the most if you purchase a packaged AC. These may cost up to around 2100$.
Other options like window AC will cost you around 450$ – 750$. Through-The-Wall AC will cost you around 300$ – 600$. There are more AC types that are available in the market, which can be found at prices around 400 – 1500$.
Running cost:
Based on the cooling capacity of the AC that you have purchased, the running cost would be around 0.20$ – 0.32$ per hour. The running cost of any AC depends on the cooling capacity of the AC. Higher cooling capacity means a higher cost to operate.
But it may cost less if the AC has energy efficient features.
Running costs may also include maintenance costs as well. But the actual maintenance cost cannot be calculated. The reason is the price difference of various parts of the air conditioner we use.
Still, if you want to include that in your running cost, then you can add 20$ – 50$ for maintenance costs per year
Final thoughts
A 1.5 – 2 tons air conditioner is ideal for 1200 sq ft depending on the type, geographical location and inside condition of the space. This means you will have to get an air conditioner that has a cooling capacity of around 18,000 – 24,000 BTU. The exact size of the air conditioner will vary.