Sq feet refers to area. and your question cannot be answered as you asked it. You need CUBIC feet- a measure of volume. .One cubic foot of water weighs 62.3 pounds (it varies some with the temperature). A ton has 2000 pounds. So divide 2000 by 62.3, and that will give you the number of CUBIC ft of water in a ton.
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Most air-conditioners generate about 400 CFM per ton, but don't confuse Square Feet with Cubic Feet. A sunny South-facing room (SF) will take more CFM to cool than the same size room facing North.
A very rough idea is:
- For and older drafty, inefficient house 400SF per ton. Any sizing larger than this should be explained by the contractor.
- For a newer reasonably built house 600SF per ton.
- For an Energy Star Qualified house 600-800SF per ton.
- Well designed, thoughtfully crafted houses can achieve 800-1200 SF per ton.
Bigger is not better - getting the right size is important. About 70% of the work of the air conditioner is to remove the humidity from the air - this is called the latent load. An oversized unit will bring the temperature down quickly but not remove the humidity. A right-sized unit will run longer and do a better job with dehumidification allowing you to keep the set-point several degrees warmer and still achieve the comfort level expected.
Residential cooling and heating loads are calculated using ACCA Manual J (or similar) procedure. This takes in to account many factors including infiltration, ventilation, insulation, glazing, occupants, building orientation and many more.
Commercial cooling and heating loads are calculated using ACCA Manual N (for small commerical) and use many of the same inputs are residential calculations. Greater emphasis is given to internal loads and uses. For example a gym or kitchen will have much different cooling needs than an office or library.
www.energystar.gov has more, look for heating and cooling.
Determining square footage (volume) by weight requires knowing the objects (or materials) density and mass. Volume equals the mass of your object divided by its density.