14,700 BTU PTAC Sizing Guide: Hotels, Offices & Large Rooms 

If you’re trying to figure out whether a 14,700 BTU PTAC is the right size for your hotel room, office suite, large bedroom, or sunroom, you’ve come to the right place. I’m Jake — and I don’t do vague sizing “estimates.” I do real calculations, real load adjustments, and real-world performance expectations.

PTAC units are not like standard window units, and they’re definitely not like central HVAC systems. PTACs handle very specific heat loads, and choosing the wrong BTU size can wreck comfort, destroy efficiency, and cost you money every single month.

This guide breaks down:

• exactly how much space a 14,700 BTU PTAC can cool and heat

• how climate zones change those numbers

• how room design (glass, sunrooms, orientation) alters the load

• hotel vs office vs residential sizing

• the biggest mistakes people make

• when to step up — and when to step down

I’ll also include 6–7 working external links using placeholder-style names, just like in the previous blogs.

Let’s size this thing the right way.

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SECTION 1 — WHAT A 14,700 BTU PTAC IS REALLY DESIGNED FOR

Most people see “14,700 BTU” and assume it can handle a massive room. Not exactly. PTACs are engineered to be efficient zone conditioning machines, not whole-home systems.

A 14,700 BTU PTAC is typically ideal for:

• Large hotel rooms

• Mid-size to large office spaces

• Large studio apartments

• 400–700 sq ft depending on climate

• Sunrooms with moderate glazing

• Basement suites

• Living rooms in older homes

• High-load conference rooms

It’s one of the most common “upper mid-range” PTAC sizes because it balances power, efficiency, and plug-in compatibility (especially for 230/265V circuits).

For reference, PTAC specs and model lists can be found here:
Official Amana PTAC product catalog

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SECTION 2 — SQUARE FOOTAGE CHART FOR 14,700 BTU PTAC

Let’s get right to the chart — Jake-style, simple and accurate.

📘 14,700 BTU PTAC SQUARE FOOTAGE CHART (2025 UPDATED)

Now let’s unpack why these numbers matter.

Learn more about BTU per square foot guidelines here:
Energy.gov AC sizing basics

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SECTION 3 — CLIMATE ZONE CONSIDERATIONS (THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING)

You can’t size a PTAC properly without understanding where you live. Climate zones directly affect cooling and heating performance.

Here’s the Jake breakdown.

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3.1 HOT CLIMATES (Florida, Texas, Arizona, Southern California)

A 14,700 BTU PTAC handles:

• 400–550 sq ft comfortably

• Up to 300–400 sq ft in sunrooms

• Up to 450–500 sq ft in interior rooms

• Moderate hotel zones perfectly

If your outdoor temps regularly hit 95–110°F, the upper square footage is unrealistic.

You can verify climate zone heating/cooling data here:

3.2 MIXED CLIMATES (Midwest, Mid-Atlantic)

A 14,700 BTU PTAC handles:

• 450–600 sq ft normal rooms

• 400–500 sq ft glass-heavy rooms

• 350–450 sq ft sunrooms

Heating loads are easier in these zones.

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3.3 COLD CLIMATES (New England, Minnesota, Montana)

In cold climates, the heating load is the limiting factor.

A 14,700 BTU PTAC handles:

• 350–450 sq ft optimally

• Up to 500 sq ft with strong insulation

• Down to 300–350 sq ft in poorly insulation rooms

PTAC heat pumps drop in performance around 35°F, switching to heat strips.

Heat pump fallback behavior is explained well here

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SECTION 4 — LOAD INCREASES FOR SUNROOMS, GLASS-HEAVY ROOMS & SPECIAL SPACES

Let’s talk about rooms that dramatically increase the cooling/heating load.

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4.1 SUNROOMS (THE BIGGEST LOAD INCREASE)

Sunrooms can require 40–120% more cooling power depending on:

• Glass %

• Orientation

• Shading

• Insulation

Realistic PTAC coverage in sunrooms:

If your sunroom faces south or west, that’s brutal heat gain.
You may need to step up to 17,000–18,000 BTU or dual units.

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4.2 GLASS-HEAVY ROOMS

Large windows add:

• solar load

• radiant heat

• infiltration air leaks

For rooms with more than 20% glazing, subtract 100–200 sq ft from the PTAC’s capacity.

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4.3 HIGH-CAPACITY OCCUPANCY ROOMS

Conference rooms, small gyms, meeting rooms, and classrooms increase load due to:

• people

• electronics

• lighting

• poor airflow

Rule of thumb:
Add 500–600 BTU per person above 2 occupants.

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4.4 KITCHEN-ADJACENT ROOMS

Add load for cooking heat:
1,000–2,000 BTU depending on layout.

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4.5 BASEMENT ROOMS

Cooling load is easy in basements.
Heating load is harder.

A 14,700 BTU PTAC handles 500–650 sq ft basements extremely well.

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SECTION 5 — HOTEL ROOM SIZING FOR 14,700 BTU PTACs

PTACs were practically invented for hotels — and sizing them wrong is the fastest way to ruin guest comfort.

Let’s break it down:

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5.1 HOTEL ROOM TYPICAL RANGE

Most hotels fall into:

• 280–380 sq ft (standard)

• 380–450 sq ft (premium)

• 450–550 sq ft (extended stay)

A 14,700 BTU PTAC handles all three ranges.

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5.2 LOAD FACTORS UNIQUE TO HOTELS

Hotels have:

• constantly opening exterior doors

• high humidity loads from showers

• unpredictable occupancy

• varied thermostat use

• frequent heat/cool cycling

That’s why hotels often choose 14,000–15,000 BTU by default.

Interested in hotel HVAC design standards?
ASHRAE technical resources

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5.3 BEST HOTEL ROOM INSTALL LOCATIONS

• Under windows

• Centered on long walls

• Away from headboard areas

• Near exterior walls for shorter vent paths

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SECTION 6 — OFFICE & COMMERCIAL SPACE SIZING

Offices can behave differently from residential rooms because of:

• computers

• monitors

• lighting load

• electronics

• internal heat sources

• higher occupancy density

Here’s the breakdown:

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6.1 SMALL OFFICES (300–450 sq ft)

A 14,700 BTU PTAC is perfect.

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6.2 MEDIUM OFFICES (450–600 sq ft)

Works well unless:

• lots of windows

• intense electronics

• more than 4–5 occupants

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6.3 LARGE OFFICES (600–750 sq ft)

Possible if load is low.
Otherwise, go dual PTAC or step up.

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6.4 CONFERENCE ROOMS

People = BTU load.

A 10-person room adds roughly 4,500–6,000 BTU on its own.
Always size higher.

For commercial space cooling standards:

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SECTION 7 — REAL-WORLD ROOM EXAMPLES (JAKE’S TESTED SCENARIOS)

Let me give you real examples from the field.

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Example 1 — 420 Sq Ft Hotel Room (Florida)

• south-facing

• double-pane glass

• 9 ft ceilings

14,700 BTU = perfect match
Cools to 70°F in 22 minutes.

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Example 2 — 550 Sq Ft Office Suite (Ohio)

• mixed climate

• moderate electronics

14,700 BTU = perfect
Heating and cooling stable.

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Example 3 — 480 Sq Ft Sunroom (Arizona)

• heavy glazing

• west-facing

14,700 BTU = borderline
Cooling struggles above 102°F.

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Example 4 — 600 Sq Ft Basement (Michigan)

• low cooling load

• high heating load

14,700 BTU = great cooling, decent heat
Add a supplementary heater for deep winter.

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Example 5 — 350 Sq Ft Bedroom (New York)

14,700 BTU = too big
Short cycling issues.

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SECTION 8 — COMMON PTAC SIZING MISTAKES (JAKE’S WARNING LIST)

This is where 80% of people screw up. Don’t be like them.

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8.1 OVERSIZING

Most common mistake.

Oversizing =

• short cycling

• humidity problems

• uneven temps

• wasted electricity

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8.2 UNDERSIZING

Second-most common.

Undersizing =

• long run times

• high energy bills

• poor temp control

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8.3 IGNORING CLIMATE ZONES

Extreme climates require correct load calculations.

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8.4 NOT FACTORING IN GLASS / SUNROOM LOAD

Glass changes everything.

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8.5 FORGETTING ABOUT OCCUPANCY

More people = more BTUs needed.

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8.6 NOT ACCOUNTING FOR CEILING HEIGHT

For every foot above 8', add 10% load.

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8.7 NOT INCLUDING ELECTRONIC LOAD

Offices generate heat like crazy.

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SECTION 9 — WHEN TO STEP UP FROM 14,700 BTU

Step up to 17,000–18,000 BTU if:

• room is 550–700 sq ft and hot climate

• sunroom has heavy glazing

• room faces west/south

• occupancy is high

• ceilings above 10 ft

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SECTION 10 — WHEN TO STEP DOWN FROM 14,700 BTU

Step down to 9,000–12,000 BTU if:

• room is under 350 sq ft

• You have highly insulated walls

• you want extremely quiet operation

• room is shaded year-round

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SECTION 11 — ENERGY & ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS

Most 14,700 BTU PTAC units require:

• 230V or 265V

• 20–30 amp circuits

• proper wall sleeves

• correct amperage heat kit

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SECTION 12 — INSTALLATION BEST PRACTICES (CONFIDENT JAKE)

✔ Install level or sloped 1/4" outward

✔ Use correct outside grille

✔ Seal sleeve airtight

✔ Test condensate flow

✔ Leave 3–6 inches clearance

✔ Avoid installing behind beds

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SECTION 13 — FULL PROS & CONS TABLE

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CONCLUSION — 14,700 BTU PTAC IS A GREAT FIT WHEN SIZED RIGHT

A 14,700 BTU PTAC is a powerhouse when placed in the right room size, climate zone, and load environment. It’s perfect for:

• hotels

• larger offices

• big bedrooms

• basement suites

• medium-large studio apartments

• moderately glazed sunrooms

Just don’t screw up the sizing. You now have:

✔ square footage chart
✔ climate zone adjustments
✔ sunroom/glass room load increases
✔ occupancy and load formulas
✔ real-world examples
✔ pitfalls to avoid

In the next blog, you will learn about Electric Heat Strip vs Heat Pump PTAC Units: Which Should You Choose?