The abbreviation of BTU is short for British Thermal Unit which is a unit of measurement for the energy needed to heat or to cool. Technically, it’s the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree, measured in Fahrenheit. Air conditioning units also have a BTU rating, which measures how well each unit could cool a room.
Related to cooling, twelve thousand BTUs is equal to one ton of cooling. The reference to how many tons of cooling a home needs is used in refrigerated air systems, swamp coolers, and heat pumps. An average sized home might need 3 Tons of cooling, but it’s also important to not have a system with too high a BTU rating for your home.
A furnace with a higher BTU rating has a higher heat output than those with lower BTU ratings. The same is true with air conditioning systems; a higher BTU unit will cool the room faster but may leave the space humid or it may cause the unit to cycle more often, which can cause added wear on the compressor and shorten its lifespan.
That’s why its important to have a HVAC estimate from an experienced heating and cooling estimator. At Affordable Service, one of our estimators will schedule a visit to your home to measure the square footage and how that space is laid out. Are there two or more stories to the home? Is the ductwork designed properly for adequate airflow? Is there a sunroom or other “hot spot” that will impact the indoor temperature? Where is the existing furnace and cooling unit and what will be needed to replace them?
Based on their calculations, Affordable Service will advise on the best system for your home for proper BTUs. We’ll offer choices on the energy-efficiency of that size of system as well; if you plan to be in the home for a long time, you may want a more efficient system to help reduce energy usage.
There are many decisions that go into replacing your HVAC system and how many BTUs are needed is one of the most important ones. We offer a free estimate for your HVAC replacement so contact us today to schedule a home visit in the greater Albuquerque or Rio Rancho area.
