Air conditioning Btu for Homeowners

Air conditioning Btu – Measure how much heat energy air conditioner unit produce.

An air conditioner manufacture needs away to compare the amount of heat is produce on specific period and need to know how much heat is remove on specific period (day, hour, minute).

They came up with measurement units. These measurement units are Btu and ton of refrigeration. This unit does not tell how much energy the air conditioner or furnace consumes in a season. To know how much energy air conditioner unit consumes, you need to know ac seer rating (for cooling).

I’ll explain how much energy the air conditioner units produce and what does 15000 Btu air conditioner unit means.

What is air conditioning Btu?

Btu is a British thermal unit. It’s a unit of heat energy.

Btu defines as the amount (quantity) of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water to 1 degree F.

For example: when 5 lb of water is heated from 10°F to 20°F. 50 Btu of heat energy is added to the water. To look at in a different way, the water now contains 50 Btu of heat energy.

Here is the Btu’s formula:

Btu = Wt in lb. x change in temperature in °F

Btu = 5 lb X (10-20)

Btu = 5 x 10

Btu = 50 Btu

HVAC technician used the terms Btu to describe the quantity of heat or heat content. Btu explains the amount of heat energy contains in a substance. In the example above, the water contains 50 Btu.

Let’s said a furnace has 15000 Btu. It means that the furnace wills produce 15,000 Btu of heat within specific period.

When it comes to air conditioner, it entirely difference. 15,000 Btu air conditioners mean that the air conditioner unit will remove 15,000 Btu of heat energy from a resident.

Each components of heating or air conditioner unit is rated base on their ability to remove heat or add heat. If the hvac equipment is not rated, it would be hard to choose the best air conditioner unit or heating unit.

Ton of refrigeration or ton of air conditioner

Air conditioning Btu is a unit use to measure quantity of heat energy and ton of refrigeration is a measurement unit use to size air conditioner unit or refrigeration units.

The terms ton of refrigeration goes back went they used ice as the source to remove heat. It requires 144 Btu of heat energy to melt one pound of ice at 32°F to one pound of water at 32°F.

Ton of refrigeration refers to the amount of heat needed to melt 1 ton of ice in a day (24 hours). 1 ton of refrigeration is equal to 2000 pound of refrigeration (1 ton = 2000 lb). Here how to converts ton of refrigeration to Btu:

2000 lb x 144 Btu/lb = 288,000 Btu

288, 000 Btu is how much heat removes within 24 hours. In one hours, the air conditioner unit removes 12, 000 Btu of heat (288, 000 Btu/ 24 = 12, 000 Btu) or in minute, it would be 200 Btu /min.

Here is different prospective. 1 Ton of air conditioner unit will remove 12, 000 Btu of heat per hours.

Converts Watt to air conditioning Btu:

1 Watt = 3.413 BTU 1 kilo Watt = 3413 BTU

Let’s said you have 6000 Btu air conditioner. How much Watt of energy does it produces?

6,000 Btu = 1 Watt/3.413 Btu = {1758 Watt}

The terms air conditioner Btu or ton of refrigeration is important for homeowners. Whenever, you’re planning to buy window air conditioner or central ac units, you have to know how many Btu the house needs.

Air conditioner Btu calculation for window air conditioner

The air conditioning Btu calculation below is an estimate design for window air conditioner unit. The table data assumes that the room is 8 feet and average insulation.

These Btu numbers below are quite bigger than the other site. I got this Btu number from three difference software and compare them. Look at these number as reference.

Air Conditioner Btu Calculation Table

Area to Cool
Square Feet
Mini air conditioning Btu/h
Max Ac Btu/h
10' X 10' 100' 2,600 3,200
10' X 15' 150' 3,192 4,800
10'X 20' 200' 4,200 6,400
10'X 25' 250' 5,320 6,500
12'X 25' 300' 6,384 7,800
14'X 25' 350' 7,448 9,100
20'X 20' 400' 8,512 10,400
18'X 25' 450' 9,576 11,700
20'X 25' 500' 10,640 13,000
22'X 25' 550' 11,704 14,300
24'X 25' 600' 12,768 15,600
25'X 26' 650' 13,832 16,900
25'X 28' 700' 14,896 18,200
25'X 30' 750' 15,960 19,500
25'X 32' 800' 17,024 20,800
25'X 34' 850' 18,088 22,100
30'X 30' 900' 19,152 23,400
25'X 38' 950' 20,216 24,700
25'X 40' 1000' 21,280 26,000

Change the air conditioning Btu data to the following location:

  • If the window air conditioner unit is install in a kitchen, increase 4,000 Btu cooling capacity to table above.

  • Add 900 Btu if three people stay in the room. (One person is 300 Btu)

  • Minus or plus 10 percent to a room, if it’s very shaded or sunny.
Ac Btu site help you calculate air conditioning Btu for your room. By the way, don’t rely on single Btu data to buy window air conditioner unit.

By relying on single air conditioner Btu data, you could have too much or little Btu. It’s not good. Continues reading and I’ll explain why.

Air conditioner Btu too large:

Imagine you have a gigantic central air conditioner connected into a small house. So, what happen? It cools the entire house extremely fast. As a result, it does not remove the humidity in the air.

Central air conditioner units remove humidity within the house by relying on a blower. The blower will create a pressure different within the house.

The blower pulls the air through the return ducts and rejects the air through the supply ducts. The pressure different occurs within the supply and return duct causes the air to moves.

The blower circulates the air through the air conditioner evaporator and the humidity condenses into the evaporator coils. Why? Because the ac evaporator is cool than the hot air, so it condenses.

Since, the central ac units have large Btu capacity. The central air conditioner unit will cool the entire house quickly and it’ll cycle on and off. You’ll feel uncomfortable and sticky. This will always happens if you have central air conditioner unit with large Btu capacity.

That why it’s relevant to have the right air conditioning Btu for a room or the entire house. If you’re planning to buy window air conditioner unit use the chart above or find the right Ac Btu for your room.

Air conditioner Btu with small capacity:

Try having a small central air conditioner unit in big house. It can’t cool the house. Why? It Btu capacity are not designs for that house.

What will happen to central air conditioner unit with small Btu connects into a big house?

    The central air conditioner unit wills consumer a lot of energy.

  1. Central ac unit can’t reach the thermostat setpoint, so it’ll keep running until the ac parts break down.
  2. Waste money on the current wrong Btu air conditioners. ..etc

All air conditioner low the temperature and remove humidity. If you’re planning to buy window air conditioners, don’t rely on single air conditioning Btu data. It’s too risking. So, being wise and good luck.


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