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AC Tonnage Calculator

Air-conditioner size in tons from BTUs or square footage.

Convert a BTU/hr cooling load into air-conditioner tonnage (1 ton = 12,000 BTU/hr) and round up to the nearest standard half-ton size.

Nadia Almasri By Nadia Almasri
Published Last reviewed 1 min read

Inputs

BTU/hr

Results

Enter values and click Calculate to see results.
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How to use this calculator

  1. Fill in the inputs above using the units you already have.
  2. Values update automatically as you type — no submit button needed.
  3. Hover any result row for the underlying formula and intermediate values.

Formula

Tons = BTU / 12000. Standard sizes are 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5 tons (round up).

In depth

Convert a BTU/hr cooling load into air-conditioner tonnage (1 ton = 12,000 BTU/hr) and round up to the nearest standard half-ton size.