BTU Calculator for a 500 sq ft Room
A 500 sq ft room is 500 sq ft. Estimate the cooling BTU and the right AC size here, with climate and sun adjustments.
Runs locally in your browser — no upload, no trackingTry: Room area=500, Ceiling height=8, People usually in room=1, Room type=living, Sun exposure=avg, Insulation quality=avg, Climate zone (1–5)=3 → 10,000 BTU, 0.83 ton, 10,000 BTU window unit, 17,500 BTU
How to use
A 500 sq ft room is 500 square feet. At the common rule of 20 BTU per square foot, the base cooling load is about 10,000 BTU before people, sun and climate are added. Five hundred square feet is a one-bedroom apartment or a big open room. You are into 10,000–12,000 BTU (about 1 ton) territory, often a through-the-wall or mini-split. Use the calculator to fold in your real ceiling height, insulation and climate zone.
FAQ
What size AC for a 500 sq ft room?
Start from about 10,000 BTU and adjust upward for sunny windows, poor insulation or a hot climate, and downward for a shaded, tight room. Most 500 sq ft rooms land near a 5,000–12,000 BTU unit depending on those factors.