Aircon BTU Guide Singapore Calculation (2023)

Aircon Installation

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Aircon BTU Guide Singapore Calculation (2)

April 28, 2020bysilverbackairconinAircon Installation

What is Aircon BTU?

Aircon BTU Guide Singapore Calculation (3)

An Aircon BTU Guide is a big help to people who are installing aircons in their new homes. If this is your first time buying Aircon, you will be bombarded with foreign terms such as: 9000 BTU + 18000 BTU. To explain aircon BTU meaning, BTU stands for British thermal unit, which is the amount of energy needed to raise or cool one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. If you turn the aircon inside the room on and didn’t close the door, chances are your house will not get cooled. Why? This is because you have insufficient BTU to cool the whole house due to the increase in space. Hence in short, the bigger the room, the more BTU you need to cool the area. This article is an Aircon BTU Guide for your reference if you’re looking for help before aircon installation.

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Aircon BTU Guide Singapore Calculation (4)

What are some of the factors that affect BTU?

As you have learned in science class back in Primary school, heat travels from hot to cold places. Hence, a room with other heat sources would require the Aircon to work even harder. This means you will require a higher BTU for a crowded room. On the other hand, if it is a commercial property with a lot of printing equipment, the BTU level needed is much higher as well. Besides heat sources from the inside, you will have to consider the potential heat source from outside. This means if you have a window facing the east or west direction, that room may need more BTU than normally required. This is because the sunlight will heat up the room during certain times of the day, depending on where your window is facing. Even if you install curtains, the sun could still heat up the wall, causing your room to be stuffy and hot. This is especially so for units on the highest level, it will be hotter than usual as the sun can shine on your ceiling directly.

Is excess BTU a good thing?

Your Aircon in the room won’t cool the whole house because it doesn’t have enough BTU. However, can your Aircon in the living room be used to cool your room then? Answer is – YES it can. But is it good for you? It definitely isn’t. BTU that is higher than required will cause it to cool too quickly, cycle off, then cycle back on in order to maintain the lower temperature. This is known as short cycling. This can cause the Aircon compressor to overwork quickly, resulting and more wear and tear. It will definitely increase your electrical bills as well, even if you are using an inverter Aircon.

Will my room be cooled if my aircon BTU is insufficient?

You will still feel a sense of cool breeze in your room. And depending on the time of the day, it could still be cold. However, on very hot days, this will not hold true. In addition, it’s not just a matter of whether you room will be cooled. If your Aircon BTU is insufficient, it will cause the compressor to keep running, as the thermistor will indicate that it’s not sufficiently cooled yet. This will cause huge wastages in your electricity consumption and cause insanely high electricity bills. Hence, it will be better if you err on the side of caution and choose higher BTU.

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BTU Calculation

For aircon installation, calculate aircon BTU will be the most important step as the right BTU can allow you to find the suitable aircon options to cool your room. For HDB units, it is pretty straightforward. You can simply follow these pointers here for a rough estimation on the amount of BTU required:

Normal Room6500 BTU
Master Bedroom9000 BTU
Living Room
2 / 3 Room Flat12000 BTU
4 Room Flat18000 BTU
5 Room Flat21000 BTU (Only Daikin) or 24000 BTU

There are anomaly whereby some areas in Singapore has bigger room or living. For example. some of the 4-Room Flat in Tampines have large living rooms that may require more BTU to cool the room. Hence, to be safe, you can also calculate the amount of BTU required on your own, taking your floor plan into consideration.

Two ways to calculate BTU for your aircon

Method 1

Take the area of the room (in sq ft) that you wish to install the aircon at, and simply multiply by around 50-60. You will get the BTU you need. Size of an average HDB room is 130 square feet. There’s no definite thumb of rule to follow, saying which number you should multiply by, but the range given is 50-60. So to gauge, you can see if you have encounter these scenarios:

  1. Multiple Electrical Appliances within the room
  2. Internal/External Heat Sources
  3. Direction of Sun, depends on where your room is facing towards
  4. Ceiling Height (High Ceiling will require more BTU)

If you have encountered all scenarios, then you should multiply by 60. Otherwise, you can just multiply by 50 if you didn’t encounter any of these scenarios.

(Video) BTU Calculations

Method 2

Get the area of the room (in sq metres) that you wish to install the aircon at, and simply divide by 5. You will get the the cooling capacity in Kilowatt (KW). Following which, to convert Kilowatt into BTU required, take that result and multiply it by 3412.

If you have been measuring your house based on square meter, you can simply take that area and divide by 5. However, the cooling capacity that you will get is in terms of KILOWATT (KW). To convert kilowatt into BTU, multiply the result by 3412.

Will the BTU calculation be accurate?

The method is referenced from Singapore’s Energy Efficient website. However, as described in earlier paragraphs, you will have to take note of the internal and external heat source generated from your room. Other than heat source, you will also have to take into account the height of the room. Furthermore, do note that the calculations we have provided only helps to calculate your required BTU base on square feet. So for warehouse or places with high ceiling, you will have to get higher BTU too. We would personally advise you to contact us at +65 9177 5500to book a free site visit with us so we can assist you in better diagnose your aircon needs. Besides advising you on BTU, we will recommend specific brands and systems for you too. Alternatively, you can click on the button below and it will direct you to our WhatsApp directly.

Conclusion

It is very to instill an air-conditioner, especially at commercial spaces. If it doesn’t fulfil your cooling requirements due to insufficient Aircon BTU calculation. You might have to change the entire air-conditioning system. Hence, it is better to get this accurately right from the start. You will have to take into consideration other factors like crowd level, direction of the sun, internal/external heat sources and ceiling height. If you are still unsure of the BTU that you required for your place, you might want to contact us at +65 9177 5500. We will be more than happy to be of your assistance in aircon related enquires.

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Here at Silverback Aircon, our friendly staff and technicians provide you with the most efficient service for the best price. Besides Aircon Installation, we also perform repair works and services. All of our Aircon spare parts are tested, refurbished and commissioned before selling it to you so you can trust us with all your aircon needs! Furthermore, if you are still unsure about how much BTU you need, call us for free over-the-phone consultation or even book a site visit appointment with us! We will be glad to offer you any assistance you need.

For more information on Aircon BTU, CALL / WHATSAPP us at +65 9177 5500

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FAQs

How to calculate BTU for aircon Singapore? ›

Take the area of the room (in sq ft) that you wish to install the aircon at, and simply multiply by around 50-60. You will get the BTU you need. Size of an average HDB room is 130 square feet. There's no definite thumb of rule to follow, saying which number you should multiply by, but the range given is 50-60.

How do I figure out how many BTUs I need? ›

Generally, your temperature control system should have 20 BTU for every square foot of living space in the area you wish to heat or cool. For example, if your room or area is 400 square feet in size, then you should opt for a temperature control system with a capability of around 8,000 BTU.

How many BTU do I need for 600 sq ft? ›

Size and Ceiling Height
Area To Be Cooled (square feet)Capacity Needed (BTUs per hour)
450 to 55012,000
550 to 70014,000
700 to 1,00018,000
1,000 to 1,20021,000
10 more rows

What to look out for when buying aircon Singapore? ›

A higher number indicates a more efficient unit. A higher EER is better (costs less to operate) but units w/ high EER are generally more expensive. All air conditioners made after 2000 have an EER of at least 9.7. An air conditioner that receives an Energy Efficiency rating has an EER of at least 10.7.

How to calculate aircon bill Singapore? ›

How do you Calculate your Air Conditioner Power Consumption?
  1. 3.51732×10^5 * (20 – 18) = 9×10^6 joules(J)
  2. When you get the answer, divide it by 100 watt-hours.
  3. Then divide it again by 3600 seconds = 13 kWh per hour.

How many BTU do I need for 1500 sq ft? ›

A 1,500-square-foot home will require between 45,000 to 90,000 BTUs. A 1,800-square-foot home will require between 55,000 to 110,000 BTUs. A 2,100-square-foot home will require between 65,000 to 125,000 BTUs. A 2,400-square-foot home will require between 75,000 to 145,000 BTUs.

How many BTU do I need for 800 sq ft? ›

APPROXIMATE BTU OUTPUT NEEDED BY SQUARE FOOTAGE
APPROX. SQ.FT.RECOMMENDED INSULATION
Up to 40018,000 BTU
Up to 60027,000 BTU
Up to 80036,000 BTU
Up to 100045,000 BTU
17 more rows

What size air conditioner do I need for 2000 sq ft house? ›

Step 5: Match your square footage to an HVAC size chart
Home Square FootageAir Conditioner Size (Tons)
600-1,000 square feet1.5 tons
1,000-1,500 square feet2 tons
1,500-2,000 square feet3 tons
2,000-2,500 square feet4 tons
1 more row

What is the calculation formula for air conditioner? ›

First multiply the width of the room by its length, then multiply it with 25 BTU to get sufficient cooling, under different weather conditions, for the room. (W x L x 25) So, if the room is 12 feet wide and 15 feet long, it equals 180 square feet. Now multiply 180 by 25 BTU per square foot and you get 4500 BTU.

What is the formula for room capacity? ›

Measure and subtract any obstructions in the room, such as water coolers or furniture, to get your usable floor space. Divide your usable floor space by 36, to determine how many people can fit in the space (assuming a 36 sq. ft. allotment)

What is the thumb rule for AC tonnage calculation? ›

The 1.7X rule

This rule of thumb states that the MAX heating capacity required for your comfort cooling application is 1.7 x the cooling load. For example, if the cooling required is 30 tons (360,000 btus), then the MAX heating capacity required would be 612,000 btus (1.7 x 360,000).

How many BTU do I need for 700 sq ft? ›

How to Calculate Size
Air Conditioning Sizing Chart:
450 to 550 sq ft12,000 BTUs
550 to 700 sq ft14,000 BTUs
700 to 1,000 sq ft18,000 BTUs
1,000 to 1,200 sq ft21,000 BTUs
7 more rows
May 27, 2022

How many BTUs needed for 500 sq ft? ›

Window Air Conditioning Chart
100 Sq. Ft.5,000 BTU
200 Sq. Ft.7,000 BTU
300 Sq. Ft.9,000 BTU
400 Sq. Ft.10,500 BTU
500 Sq. Ft.11,500 BTU
2 more rows
Oct 12, 2022

Is 7000 BTU enough for a bedroom? ›

BTU Information

As a general rule we advise you to buy an Air Conditioner with a minimum 7000BTUs as this is the minimum required to call a small room (18sq/m) on a hot day. Medium rooms (24sq/m) need around 10,000BTUs and larger rooms and office spaces (36sq/m) require around 15000BTUs.

What is the optimal aircon setting in Singapore? ›

25° Celsius is the ideal temperature for Singapore at which your organs will neither feel excessively cold nor hot. This implies that you will experience the highest level of comfort and sleep through the night without any issues. Moreover, setting your air conditioner at 25° Celsius balances the humidity levels.

How much does the average aircon use in Singapore? ›

In a survey on sustainable habits and awareness of climate change conducted in Singapore, around 41 percent of respondents stated that they used the air conditioner between three and six hours per day.

Is aircon expensive to run Singapore? ›

On average, an air conditioner's usage costs $0.25 to $0.35 per hour.

What consumes the most electricity in a home Singapore? ›

The weighted energy consumption profile across all housing types shows that air-conditioners, water heaters and refrigerators account for about 52% of the total electricity consumption in a household.

How much is the aircon bill per month in Singapore? ›

How much electricity does an aircon use in Singapore? The amount of electricity that an air conditioning system uses can vary dramatically from one country to another. In Singapore, for example, the average household spends $30-$45 per month on electricity for an air conditioner.

Can I run my AC 24 7 Singapore? ›

You should keep your filter clean:

When you are using aircon 24 hours 7 day in the week in Singapore, there is no doubt that your electricity will be much higher. Moreover you have to take your air conditioner for servicing at regular intervals. Thus, these two will consume about 50% of your expenses.

How big of a room will 15000 BTU cool? ›

Air conditioners rated at 15,000 Btu should be enough to cool most rooms up to about 875 sq. ft.

How many square feet will 10000 BTU cover? ›

400 – 450 sq. feet: 10,000 BTUs.

What is the rule for BTU per square foot? ›

HVAC contractors use a rule of thumb to allocate 20 BTUS to every square foot of space inside your home.

How many BTUs needed for 1000 square feet? ›

To determine the number of BTUs per square foot that you need to heat a room, simply multiply the square footage by 20 BTUs per square foot. For example, if a room has 1,000 square feet, you would require 20,000 BTUs to heat it.

What size room is a 8000 BTU air conditioner? ›

8,000 BTUs will cover 200 sq. ft. (1,600 cubic feet)

How many square feet will a 12000 BTU air conditioner 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.

What happens if an air conditioner is too large? ›

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.

What size air conditioner 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 many sq ft 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 you calculate 100% capacity? ›

How do you calculate capacity utilization? Capacity utilization is calculated using a formula: the rate of capacity utilization is equal to the ratio of the actual level of output over the maximum level of output multiplied by a hundred percent. That is, capacity utilization rate = actual output/optimal output.

How many people can fit in a 1200 sq ft space? ›

SPACE REQUIREMENT ESTIMATES BY CROWD SIZE
CROWD SIZE, BY PERSONESTIMATED SPACE NEEDS, SQUARE FEET
150900-5,250
1751,050-6,125
2001,200-7,000
5003,000-13,000
5 more rows
Nov 20, 2019

How do you calculate total capacity? ›

How to calculate capacity utilization rate
  1. Calculate the level of actual output. During specific accounting and reporting periods, a company records the number of products it completes. ...
  2. Determine your potential output level. ...
  3. Divide actual output by potential output. ...
  4. Multiply your result by 100. ...
  5. Interpret your results.
Mar 3, 2023

How many square feet will a 1.5 ton AC cover? ›

Room size and power consumption

For instance, a 1-ton window AC or a 1.5 ton split AC is an ideal choice for rooms measuring up to 150-160 sq ft.

Is 1-ton AC enough for 120 square feet? ›

For a room sized around 100 to 120 square feet, a 1-ton capacity Air conditioner should be sufficient enough. For bigger rooms, you should buy a 1.5-ton or a 2-ton Air Conditioner. Avail NoBroker's AC Repair Services to Keep Your Air Conditioner Running Efficiently!

How to describe the tonnage calculation for AC unit with example? ›

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. Look for an even, two-digit number between 18 and 60.

How many BTU do I need for 900 sq ft? ›

How many btu do I need to heat 3,000 square feet?
Room/Area SizeHeating Capacity(BTU)Examples
900 sq ft40,000-49,000 BTU30x30 garage
1,000 sq ft45,000-55,000 BTUSmall home, 2-3 bedroom apartment
1,200 sq ft55,000-65,000 BTU30x40 garage, 3 bedroom townhouse
1,300 sq ft59,000-71,000 BTUSmall/Average home, large apartment
19 more rows
Jul 13, 2022

How many square feet will 7500 BTU cool? ›

LG 7,500 BTU Window Air Conditioner with Supplemental Heat, Cools 320 Sq. Ft. (16' x 20' Room Size), Electronic Controls with Remote, 2 Cooling, Heating & Fan Speeds, Slide In-Out Chassis, 115V.

How many BTU do I need for 2000 square feet? ›

A 2,000 square foot home is best served by air conditioning with around 40,000 BTU capacity, which would be 3.5 tons or 42,000 BTU, since there are 12000 BTU per ton: In other words, to convert 1 ton of cooling to BTU, multiply ton by 12000. A 2-ton AC = 24,000 BTU, and so forth.

How big of an AC do I need for 500 square feet? ›

How Many Square Feet Will A 5,000 – 24,000 Btu AC Cool
Cooling Capacity (BTU):Room Size:
9,000 BTU350 - 400 sq. ft.
10,000 BTU400 - 450 sq. ft.
12,000 BTU450 - 550 sq. ft.
13,000 BTU550 - 650 sq. ft.
11 more rows
Jul 22, 2022

How many square feet will a 8000 BTU air conditioner cool? ›

BTU Chart Based on Room Size
250 sq. ft.6,000 BTU's18,000 BTU's
300 sq. ft.7,000 BTU's21,000 BTU's
350 sq. ft.8,000 BTU's23,000 BTU's
400 sq. ft.9,000 BTU's25,000 BTU's
4 more rows

What size air conditioner for 1200 square feet? ›

DIY Calculations
Square FootageBTUs per hourAC Unit Tonnage
550 to 70014,0001.5 Tons
700 to 1,00018,0001.5 Tons
1,000 to 1,20021,0002 Tons
1,200 to 1,40023,0002 Tons
4 more rows
Jun 23, 2020

Is 8000 BTU too much for a bedroom? ›

If your space is 300 square feet, you want to find a model capable of producing at least 6,000 BTUs. As a guide, consider 5,000-BTU models for rooms 150 square feet or smaller, 8,000 BTUs for medium-size rooms (340 square feet), and 12,000 to 14,000-BTU models for rooms with square footage from 550 to 800.

Is 9000 BTU too much for a bedroom? ›

Recommended BTU By Room Size

If your room is 10'x 20' (200 square feet), you'd need to look at a 6,000 BTU unit. Once you get into 340 and 400 square feet per room, you'd need an 8,000 or 9,000 BTU air conditioner, respectively.

What happens if BTU is too high? ›

A unit with too many BTU's, will cool the room fast, but leave the room humid. Too few BTU's will never cool the room down and the unit will run incessantly.

What size room is a 12000 BTU air conditioner? ›

450 – 550 sq. feet: 12,000 BTUs. 550 – 700 sq. feet: 14,000 BTUs.

How much area does a 10 000 BTU air conditioner cover? ›

10,000 BTUs will cover 300 sq. ft. (2,400 cubic feet)

What size room will a 15000 BTU air conditioner cool? ›

Air conditioners rated at 15,000 Btu should be enough to cool most rooms up to about 875 sq. ft.

What size room will a 24000 BTU cool? ›

BTU Sizing Chart for Mini Split Systems
Area To Be CooledCapacity Needed (BTUs Per Hour)
700 to 1,000 square feet18,000 BTUs
1,000 to 1,200 square feet21,000 BTUs
1,200 to 1,400 square feet23,000 BTUs
Up to 1,500 square feet24,000 BTUs
7 more rows
Jul 18, 2016

What size air conditioner 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.

How much 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.

Is 2 ton AC enough for 2000 sq ft? ›

It is recommended that when your home is between 600 to 900 square feet, a 1.5-ton A/C unit can supply the cooling that you need. Meanwhile, you need two tons if your home is more than 900 square feet up to 1,200 SF.

How many BTUs do you need for a 2000 square foot house? ›

How Many BTUs to heat a 2000 sq ft house. To heat a 2,000 square foot home, you will need approximately 40,000 BTU's of heating power.

How big is a room with 13000 BTU air conditioner? ›

How Many Square Feet Will A 5,000 – 24,000 Btu AC Cool
Cooling Capacity (BTU):Room Size:
13,000 BTU550 - 650 sq. ft.
14,000 BTU650 - 700 sq. ft.
15,000 BTU700 - 800 sq. ft.
18,000 BTU800 - 1,000 sq. ft.
11 more rows
Jul 22, 2022

Is 8000 BTU enough for a living room? ›

If your space is 300 square feet, you want to find a model capable of producing at least 6,000 BTUs. As a guide, consider 5,000-BTU models for rooms 150 square feet or smaller, 8,000 BTUs for medium-size rooms (340 square feet), and 12,000 to 14,000-BTU models for rooms with square footage from 550 to 800.

Is 10000 BTU enough for living room? ›

For a living room or family room of 350 to 550 square feet, you'll want a large air conditioner with 9,800 to 12,500 Btu, especially if you have an open floor plan.

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