Size Your System

Quickly Size Your Mini-Split Heat Pump System
Use our mini-split heat pump sizing calculator to build your ductless system, whether it's a single room or multiple rooms.
When you're sizing a multi-room system, click "Save & Calculate Additional Room." If you have a more complicated set-up and need sizing help, send in your request to info@gotductless.com.
Saved Rooms:
Why BTUs Need to be Calculated?
If you don't size your ductless system properly, you run the risk of your unit not effectively cooling or heating the space (or under or overcooling it). An undersized system will be working too long or non-stop. And if you the system is oversized - the system will use too much energy and short-cycling.
In both ways, you'll spend more money than necessary causing high electrical bill.
What are BTUs?
British Thermal Units or BTUs are a measurement of the energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree. In other words, the amount of heat that the system needs to remove from the space in summer, and the amount of heat that the system needs to bring to space in the winter season.
Professionally Sizing Your Ductless System
Our sizing calculator is based on over ten years of industry experience. If you have a more complicated set-up, you might need a professional load calculation. Professional load calculations take many factors into account, not just the dimensions of your rooms.
Sometimes, the rule of thumb calculators can be misleading. When you're getting an in-home ductless system consultation, your ductless designer takes into account:
- What climate you're in
Mini-split heat pumps are sized differently in hotter or colder climates because of the environment.
- How many windows the room has
Windows impact the size of your heat pump because aren't insulated and leak air.
- How many doors the room has
Doors are the same as windows. They're not insulated like your walls are and leak air through the cracks between the door and frame.
- Direct sunlight, how much does the room get
Direct sunlight will heat your room. The amount of sunlight your room gets can affect the size of the system that room needs.
- How well insulated the room each evaporator is going in
The better insulated a room is, the less energy it will take to heat/cool the room.
- If the room is a kitchen or close to the kitchen
Kitchens are wide open, and ductless units near them usually need to be sized bigger to account for the open space.
- Square footage of the room, excluding space
The more space inside the room that needs to be heated or cooled, the larger the system your room will need.
- How high the ceilings are
Ceiling height affects the room size. Taller ceilings make the room larger, meaning you'll need a bigger ductless system.
- Any additional heat sources that might be in the room
Other sources of heat can help take the load off your mini-split.
- The type and amount of lightbulbs there are in the room
Lightbulbs generate heat and certain types of lightbulbs generate more heat than others. If the room has a lot of lightbulbs, it could affect the size of your system.
- The usual number of occupants in this room
People generate heat and can affect the size of the ductless units you need.
- If your floor is carpet or hardwood
Carpet is a lot more insulating than hardwood is and it could have an effect on your ductless system's size.
Some of the factors affect the size of the system more than others. For instance, a tall ceiling (8 feet or more) could increase the BTU output by 20%. A poorly insulated room can increase the BTU output by 30%. Your climate could increase the estimated BTU output by 30%.