What Size AC Unit For 1500 Square Feet?
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If you’ve decided to buy a cooling system for your home, you already know it’s a big investment, so you want to make sure you get the right one.
Some homeowners ask, “ what size AC unit for 1500 square feet?”
There are several factors to consider when deciding which AC unit to purchase.
Not only do you want to avoid wasting money on the wrong air conditioner, but you also don’t want to waste money each month as the unnecessarily large AC unit consumes your energy bill.
Similarly, you don’t want to buy a unit that’s too small for your home, which means it’ll be running all the time to try to cool you down, forcing you to purchase a second unit.
Fortunately, by reading the article, you can avoid guessing games by calculating the proper size AC unit for your home.
What Size AC Unit for 1500 Square Feet?
You need to use an equation to figure out what size AC unit you should buy. To get the right amount of weight for your home in the USA, here is what you need:
It’s the total square footage of the house x 30 / 12,000 =

Most people would subtract one after getting the answer to the equation above.
If your home is 1,500 square feet, your air conditioning unit should be between 3.5 and 4 tons.
In the second way, you can get help from an A/C expert at Home Service to figure out the right size.
You will need to give some information about where you live, the temperature in the summer and winter, and the amount of shade your house gets.
Finally, you can use an AC sizing graph (like the one shown below) that is very accurate and shows the whole map of the USA Before you buy an air conditioner
AC Size | BTU/ Tonnage | Weather |
---|---|---|
Smaller | 18000/3.5 | Normal |
Average | 24000/4 | Warm |
Larger | 30000/4.5 | Hot |
How to take the Right size of AC unit for your 1500 Square Feet Home?

There are some factors you should take care of before buying an AC unit for your house. Below we will discuss them step by step to help you out,
Step 1: Choose The Best Type Of Air Conditioner For Your Home
There are three main types of air conditioners, all of which cool in a similar manner.
Your home is most likely equipped with one of the following systems: ductless air conditioning, packaged air conditioning, or split-system air conditioning.
The split-system air conditioner is the most common type of HVAC unit.
This system consists of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit that work in tandem to cool and control the humidity level in your home.
With this type of AC unit, you have plenty of options.
You can select a split-system AC based on your desired energy-efficiency level, noise level, and budget by working with an American Standard Customer Care dealer.
One outdoor unit connects to one or more indoor units in a ductless air conditioner.
Because the indoor units are only designed to cool one room, these systems are best suited for homes that want or require different climates in each space.

Each room has its own unit mounted on the ceiling, wall, or floor, you can make one room much cooler or warmer than another.
A packaged air conditioner system is made up of one outdoor unit.
The unit contains all necessary mechanical components, such as the evaporator coil, compressor, and condensing coil.
To cool the appropriate spaces, the packaged system makes use of your home’s ductwork.
You can select a single-stage or two-stage system based on your needs and desire for an energy-efficient unit.
Step 2:Look Over The Ratings For The HVAC Size You Require
Once you’ve determined which type of air conditioner is best for your home, look into the ratings for the style you want.
The energy efficiency and cooling capacity of air conditioners are typically rated.
It’s a good idea to be familiar with how those two components are represented before attempting to answer the question “what size AC unit do I need?”
The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of a system indicates its energy efficiency, and cooling capacity is measured in BTUh or tons.

The BTUh rating describes how much energy your air conditioner or HVAC system uses to remove heat from your home in one hour.
Tons (or tonnage) or BTUh are used to describe the end result. A ton of cooling capacity equals 12,000 BTUh.
Tonnage ratings are assigned to home air conditioners. These ratings are in 0.5-ton increments, resulting in a scale of 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, or 5 ton units.
Step 3: Determine the appropriate AC size for your home
The rating of your desired AC unit is only one factor to consider when selecting the appropriate size HVAC.
Rely on the trusted advice of an American Standard Customer Care dealer to get the most out of your HVAC investment.
To ensure that you choose the right size AC, consider the following features:
- The ductwork’s quality
- The amount of time spent in direct sunlight
- The number of people living in the house The use of heat-generating appliances
- Average temperatures and geographical climate
- The number and quality of windows and exterior doors
- Materials used in home construction (i.e., brick, wood, etc.)
- Temperature-controlling features in the home (i.e., fireplace, sunroom, etc.)
Step 4:Request An Energy Audit As Well As A Manual J Calculation

You should also consider having a Manual J calculation performed as part of an energy audit.
Many utility companies provide these audits and reports for free, but if not, an HVAC dealer or energy auditor can be hired to complete the inspection.
The Manual J calculation takes into account many of the home and environmental characteristics listed above, providing you with an extremely accurate estimate of the AC size you require for your home.
FAQs About The Size Of 1500 Sqft AC Unit
1. Why Size AC Is Important?
Size matters because a properly sized air conditioner will run a full cycle and keep your home cooler for longer.
If your air conditioner is too small, it will have to run continuously to keep your home cool during the summer. Your electric bills will skyrocket as a result of this.
If the air conditioner is too large, it will cool the area too quickly, causing it to run for very short periods of time.
In such cases, the unit is unable to properly remove humidity from the air, which can lead to mold and fungus issues. To avoid this problem, the right size is crucial.
2. Which Air Conditioner Is Appropriate For A 12/12 Room?
When occupied by two people, a 12/.12′ or 144 sqft room requires 5,000 BTUs of cooling capacity, according to Energy Star.
If the room is heavily shaded, only 4,500 BTU is required. It takes 5,500 BTU if the room is very sunny.
3. Is A 2.5-Ton Air Conditioner Sufficient?
According to this widely used but somewhat inaccurate method, 1 ton of air cooling capacity is required for every so many square foot of living space.
While there is some disagreement about the exact amount, 600 square feet is a commonly used figure.
A 2.5-ton unit would thus theoretically fit a 1,500-square-foot home.
Final Thoughts
Hope you have got the answer regarding “what size AC unit for 1500 square feet?” Your AC size depends on various factors of your surrounding.
Before buying your AC, Keep them in your mind. If possible, consult a specialist if you do not want to spend on the wrong size AC.