But what about air conditioning? In this case, you're trying to cool a room, so how do BTUs fit in? Air conditioners actually work by removing heat from a room, rather than adding cool air. This is enabled by the compressor system, which uses a chemical refrigerant to absorb heat and then carry away from your room, where it is released into the outdoors. In this case, BTUs aren't a measurement of how much heat is added, but rather how much energy it takes to remove the heat using the compressor system.
It still takes energy to do this, so the BTU is a measure of this energy rather than of direct heating. As with a heater, high BTUs on your air conditioner means that it has a bigger capacity to get its job done. If you're looking to compare cooling output for similarly priced air conditioning units, looking at the BTU rating can give you an idea of which one is the most powerful and will give you the biggest bang for your buck.
BTUs are a very important factor when it comes to choosing the right size heat pump, space heater, or cooling system for your home. For example, if you choose an air conditioner with insufficient cooling power, it will be running constantly, driving your electricity bills through the roof and leaving you unpleasantly hot and sticky.
When air conditioner experts talking about "sizing" a cooling unit, they don't mean using a tape measure to see if it will fit in your window. Instead, they're referring to a particular unit's cooling capacity as measured in BTUs.
Higher BTU ratings mean a more powerful air conditioning system, but you also don't want to overspend if you don't need to. How many BTUs you need to cool your room depends primarily on the size of the space; that is, how much air you have to cool. You can figure this out by measuring the length and width of your room and then multiplying these numbers together to determine its square footage.
Once you know your room size in square feet, you can consult a BTU chart that breaks down the amount of cooling power needed to keep that space comfortable.
There's a bit of a BTU "start-up cost" when it comes to cooling, so you'll find that a small room of square feet will require 5, BTUs, but a room three times as big doesn't require three times as many BTUs to stay cool. There's more to sizing an air conditioner than just square footage, though. Consider these other factors to adjust your BTU total before you shop for an air conditioner:. To choose the right room air conditioner for your space, a good rule of thumb is to take its square footage and consult a BTU chart or check the package for recommendations.
If you have high ceilings, lots of windows, or poor insulation, choose an air conditioner at the top of the BTU range recommended for your room size, or bump up a size to be safe. These recommendations will work for portable air conditioners, window units, and space heaters, though you should always consult a professional when it comes to the complexities of sizing a whole-house HVAC system for heating and cooling.
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Hydrocarbon Gas Liquids. That way, you get an idea of how it will influence your utility costs. BTUs, when converted to kilowatts and kilowatt-hours, can help you figure that out. First, a quick explainer: A kilowatt is 1, watts, which is a measurement of power. A kilowatt hour measures the amount of energy needed to run an appliance, tool or machine for one hour.
When it comes to your air conditioning, a kilowatt hour tells you how much energy your AC is using, which could be instrumental in helping you decide what kind of unit to buy. Within that period, your air conditioner would use If you want to determine your estimated energy costs, multiply your kilowatt hours That gives you kilowatt hours per month.
As of May , the average electricity rate in the U. Energy Information Administration. By multiplying your electricity rate by your kilowatt-hours, you can determine your energy costs:. But hopefully those calculations can help you make a more informed purchasing decision. BTUs are an essential part of identifying the air conditioner that will best fit your needs.
Ultimately, your goal should be to find an energy-efficient system that adequately cools your space while helping you save on energy costs. So, as you continue shopping, be sure to check out the BTU rating and do some quick calculations to figure out if it makes sense for you. You can close and confirm your location on the form or view all dealers in your area.
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