Enter your room size below for an instant HP recommendation, or scroll down for the quick-reference table if you'd rather skip the form.
Enter your room's length and width, tick anything that applies, and get an instant HP recommendation. This runs entirely in your browser, nothing is sent anywhere.
This calculator uses standard industry BTU-per-sqm estimates for a quick guide. It isn't a substitute for a proper site survey, a technician accounts for wall material, window count, and airflow in ways a quick calculator can't. Book an installation and we'll size it properly on-site.
If you'd rather skip the calculator, here's the same logic as a straightforward lookup table for average rooms with no major adjustment factors.
| Capacity | Approx. BTU | Room Size | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.6 HP | ~5,000 | up to 12 sqm | Small bedroom, home office |
| 1.0 HP | ~9,000-10,000 | 13-20 sqm | Standard bedroom |
| 1.5 HP | ~12,000-13,000 | 17-24 sqm | Larger bedroom, small living room |
| 2.0 HP | ~18,000 | 24-35 sqm | Living room |
| 2.5 HP | ~24,000 | 32-47 sqm | Large living area |
| 3.0 HP | ~28,000-30,000 | 45 sqm+ | Extra-large space, small office |
The baseline BTU-per-sqm figure assumes an average room with average conditions. Three factors move the number enough to matter, and they're what the calculator above adjusts for:
Two smaller factors worth a mention, though they matter less: high ceilings or a top-floor unit (more air volume and roof heat to manage), and a kitchen or other heat-generating equipment nearby. Neither typically shifts the recommendation by a full HP tier on its own, but combined with one of the three factors above, they're worth flagging to your installer.
It's tempting to round up "just to be safe," but an oversized unit doesn't cool faster, it cools the room to temperature quickly and then short-cycles, switching off before it's had time to properly remove humidity from the air. The result is often a room that feels cold but clammy, exactly the opposite of what you were going for.
An undersized unit has the opposite problem: it runs constantly, struggles to reach the set temperature, and wears out faster from the extra strain. Getting the size right the first time avoids both.
These are ArcticAir Manila's starting rates for professional installation, sizing included as part of the visit.
| Service | Starting Price |
|---|---|
| Split-type installation (labor) | From ₱3,500 |
| Diagnostic check-up | ₱500 |
Unit and materials cost separately from labor. See our full pricing guide for complete rates.
A 1.0HP aircon, roughly 9,000-10,000 BTU, typically suits a room between 13 and 20 square meters, a standard bedroom in most Philippine homes.
No. An oversized unit short-cycles, cooling the room quickly but switching off before removing humidity properly, which can leave the room feeling cold and clammy rather than comfortable.
The calculator uses floor area (length times width), which works for most rectangular rooms. Unusually shaped rooms, very high ceilings, or open-plan spaces benefit from an on-site survey rather than a calculator estimate.
It's a solid starting estimate based on standard industry BTU-per-sqm figures, but it can't account for everything a technician would check on-site, like wall material, window count, and airflow. Use it to get in the right range, then confirm with an installer.
Yes. Both add meaningful heat load, direct sun through west-facing windows and heat from cooking appliances, so it's worth sizing up from the baseline recommendation for the room's floor area alone.