The normal answer is that a 12000 BTU window air conditioner is able to cool a 550 square foot room, but there is a more detailed answer that takes into consideration house and climate conditions.
On this page, we will provide you with all the information so that you could answer the question according to your situation.
What’s the Room Size for 12000 BTU Window AC?
A 12000 BTU window air conditioner is usually able to maintain a room of 550 square feet cool but there are other factors which may influence the cooling capacity of a window air conditioner and these factors include ceiling height.
The information on ceiling height will be first. Under this Chart, there are other variables that influence a 12000 BTU window air conditioner room size.
12000 BTU Air Conditioner Room Size by Ceiling Height
What is the height of your ceiling? It will influence the area that your AC can comfortably cool.
12000 Btu Air Conditioner Room Size By Ceiling Height
| Ceiling height | Room size |
| 6 feet | 640 sq ft |
| 7 feet | 600 sq ft |
| 8 feet | 550 sq ft |
| 9 feet | 515 sq ft |
| 10 feet | 475 sq ft |
How many square feet of room does a 12000 BTU AC need with 10 feet ceilings?
The 10 feet ceilings have a 12000 BTU AC that can cool approximately 475 square feet since it has more cubic space as compared to a room with 8 feet ceilings.
And despite the fact that the cool air will sink, so that the air around you will be a bit cooler than at the ceiling, the high ceilings will restrict the ability of the window air conditioner to cool the area.
Put in a ceiling fan! A ceiling fan will assist you in both heating and cooling of the room.
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During summer, the fan blades are to be adjusted to run counterclockwise and this will blow the air downwards to produce a cool breeze. In winter reverse the rotation of the blades and the fan will draw cool air up and push warm air down.
Which type of room has 6 feet ceilings? Or 7 feet?
The normal ceiling height of most rooms is 8 feet but on upper floors of bungalows and converted attics, you have lower and even sloping ceilings of 6 or 7 feet.
A 12000 BTU AC is able to cool 640 square feet in rooms with 6 or 7 feet ceilings provided that the room is well insulated.
12000 BTU AC Room Size by Outdoor and Indoor Temperature
Here is the other method of calculating the area that a 12000 BTU window air conditioner can effectively cool.
When it is very hot outside and you desire the temperature to be very cool inside then the smaller the AC can cool the space.
An example is when it is 80F outside and you desire to make the bedroom 77F, the difference is only 3 degrees and therefore it will not require a lot of air conditioning to cool the room.
However, in case you prefer the bedroom at 72F and the outside temperature is 90F, then the difference is 18 degrees, and you will require more cooling power and a bigger AC to cool down a smaller room.
This can be illustrated in the chart below. Indoor Temperature options will be found in the middle column.
On the right column is the Outdoor Temperature and the hotter it is outside, the lesser the space that the air conditioner can cool as indicated in the Room Size column on the left.
Select the Indoor Temperature that is most suitable to your own preference 72F, 75F and 78F.
The warmer it is outside, the more your AC will be forced to work to cool the room down – and it will influence the amount of space it will be able to cool down.
12000 Btu AC Room Size By Outdoor and Indoor Temperature
| Room Size | Indoor Temperature | Outdoor Temperature |
| 690 sq ft | 72 F | 82 F |
| 580 sq ft | 72 F | 90 F |
| 495 sq ft | 72 F | 95 F |
| 470 sq ft | 72 F | 100 F |
| 600 sq ft | 75 F | 90 F |
| 550 sq ft | 75 F | 95 F |
| 525 sq ft | 75 F | 100 F |
| 625 sq ft | 78 F | 90 F |
| 580 sq ft | 78 F | 95 F |
| 540 sq ft | 78 F | 100 F |
What room size for 12000 BTU AC when 90F outside?
In case you desire the room at 78F that is 12 degrees colder, then a 12000 BTU air conditioner will be able to cool a room of up to 625 square feet.
In case you want the indoor temperature to be 75F, then the AC has a cooling capacity of 600 square feet and in case you want the room to be 72F, the cooling capacity reduces to 580 square feet.
It should be mentioned that insulation of the house, the amount of windows in the room, their efficiency, sunny or cloudy 90F will affect the cooling capacity of 12000 BTU AC.
Does 12000 BTU Window AC have the same Room Size as 12000 ASHRAE BTU Portable Air Conditioner?
No. There are 2 BTU ratings of a portable air conditioner.
The older form of rating merely tells the highest amount of BTUs of heat that the AC can transfer. They are known as the ASHRAE ratings that were formulated by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and are identical to that of a window air conditioner.
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In 2017, the DOE decided that ASHRAE ratings were not sufficient on portable air conditioners since when a portable air conditioner exhausts warm air out of the room, it will never be able to exhaust all the warm air out of the room.
In addition, part of the heat is lost to the space via the exhaust hose. The two problems render a portable AC less efficient than a window one of the same size.
Thus, the DOE (US Department of Energy) developed a new system of ratings of portable ACs which is known as the DOE SACC (Seasonally Adjusted Cooling Capacity) ratings.
The SACC ratings tend to be 55 to 70 percent of the ASHRAE ratings.
This implies that in case you desire 12000 BTUs of cooling capacity of a portable AC, you should use the DOE SACC rating to identify one that will offer you the 12000 BTUs of cooling capacity that you require.
Tip: In case you want a portable AC and the most effective one, then a dual hose one is the best.
They do not draw as much hot air in the room as the single-hose models do.
This Whynter dual hose portable air conditioner is excellent.
Critical FAQs for 12000 BTU AC
Should I purchase one big BTU AC and place it in the center of my apartment or 2 smaller 6000 BTU ACs?
In case you want to have climate control as your main priority, then purchasing two units will provide you with more balanced cooling and dehumidification of humid air.
Naturally, you will pay more. However, two small units are versatile as well, and they are not so heavy.
What is the minimum width for 12000 BTU window AC?
Some 12K BTU window air conditioners without side panels can be fitted in windows that are 20 wide. This is a good example of GE.
What is the minimum width of the window in case of 12000 BTU window AC with built-in panels?
Most window ACs require a window that is at least 22 wide with side panels on. Others need 23”.
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However, remember that those side panels can be easily taken out. But you will have to come up with another means of sealing the space between the AC and the window frame.
What is the minimum height for 12000 BTU window AC?
The majority require the window to open a minimum of 16”. However, there are some such as this Midea U high-efficiency window AC that only requires 13 3/4 inch of opening.
What is the starting and running amps of a 115v 12000 BTU air conditioner?
Running amps are approximately 8.7 to 10.0 depending on the efficiency of the unit and the units that are currently being sold. The older ones may consume up to 11.5 amps.
Starting amps are 2-3 times as high.
Provided that they are 115v ACs, they ought to be run on a 20-amp circuit.
How do you really compare a 115v and a 230v 12000 BTU air conditioner?
The majority of units with AC only, no heating are 115v air conditioners.
When a heating element is fitted then they tend to be 230v air conditioners with additional heat such as this one.
What size breaker for 12000 BTU air conditioner?
We would be safe and use a 20-amp breaker, but you may be able to use a 15-amp breaker provided the circuit does not have much other stuff on it.
How to Get the Best HVAC Prices
- Firstly, keep in mind that installation quality is always the most important thing for residential HVAC project. So never sacrifice contractor quality for a lower price.
- Secondly, remember to look up the latest rebates as we talked above.
- Thirdly, ask for at least 3 bids before you make the decision. You can click here to get 3 free estimates from your local contractors, and this estimate already takes rebates and tax credit into consideration and filter unqualified contractors automatically.
Lastly, once you chose the right contractor, remember to use the tactics from this guide: Homeowners Tactics When Negotiating with HVAC Dealer to get the final best price.
