What Is BTU in Air Conditioning?
If you ask the question what is BTU and what does it have to do with air conditioning, you are not alone. While it’s true, BTU (British thermal unit) technically represents a specific amount of heat energy, BTU ratings are used for both heating and cooling products to indicate how much capacity they have to either heat or cool your home. By definition, one BTU is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. When used to rate an air conditioner, BTU represents the amount of heat removed from your home and is replaced by cooler air as a part of the cooling process. So, as you start comparing air conditioners and heating system products, having a basic understanding of BTU will help.
How Many Air Conditioning BTU Do I Need?
While it might be tempting to just buy the highest BTU system you can find, that’s not a good idea. Heating and cooling systems operate most efficiently, last longer and provide the best comfort when their BTU output is properly matched to the needs of the home. That’s why an accurate answer to the question “how many BTU do I need?” is so important.
An accurate assessment of how many BTU will efficiently heat or cool your home starts with a full analysis of your house. Some of the factors are easily measurable, such as room size (sq. ft.) and ceiling height. However, there are a number of additional factors that help determine the proper heating or cooling capacity needs of a home that aren't as easy to measure. Those factors include how well a home is insulated; condition of existing ductwork; size, number and quality of windows; number of floors above and below ground; exterior building materials, and more. For example, a poorly insulated home will require additional capacity to keep up with heating or cooling loss compared to a better insulated space. Or, a newer home with high-efficiency windows might require less capacity than a similarly sized older home with less efficient or poorly sealed windows.
Climate zones can be a factor as well. A home in a cold climate may require more BTU per square foot for heating than a home in a warmer zone where more humidity is present. Because of the number of climate zones in the U.S., that factor will vary from zone-to-zone.
Finally, the type of system you are considering may play a role as well. Sizing a mini split unit for a room addition or to supplement your central HVAC system is less complicated than calculating the BTU needs of a 10,000 square foot home with multiple floors and a basement.
Is Higher or Lower BTU Better?
When assessing the BTU needs of your home, it’s not a question of whether higher or lower BTU is better. In reality, you want the BTU of your system to match as closely to the BTU needs of your home for the best comfort, energy efficiency and life expectancy. Here’s why:
If your system provides too much heating or cooling capacity in BTU, your system will quickly heat or cool the room, then turn off quickly a well. This is called short cycling, and it causes undue wear and tear on system components due to the higher frequency of on-and-off operation. Not only will you experience the discomfort of dramatic up-and-down temperature swings, you may even shorten the life of your system.
On the other end of the spectrum, purchasing a system with lower than needed BTU will cause the system to run constantly in an effort to deliver comfort. Overworking the system can shorten its lifespan, increase energy bills, and leave you less than comfortable along the way. This is why HVAC system manufacturers like Carrier offer models that cover a range of BTU outputs. The typical range for residential ducted central air conditioning models starts at 18,000 BTU and goes up to 60,000 BTU. Some high-end models offer variable-capacity capabilities, like our Infinity systems with Greenspeed® intelligence that can adjust output to match changing needs. There are a lot of options, so it’s important to work with a Carrier comfort expert to select a system that fits your comfort needs and budget.
British Thermal Unit (BTU) Calculator
It may be tempting to look for an easy, rule of thumb method for estimating BTUs per square foot to heat or cool your home, but Carrier doesn’t recommend it. Because of the number of factors involved and the expertise needed to get an accurate sizing assessment for each individual home, we firmly believe that a local HVAC professional is best suited to making this determination. Carrier experts will utilize a specialized BTU calculator that takes all of the variables into consideration, and they combine these tools with their individual knowledge to get accurate results.
Find A Carrier Expert Near You
Understanding BTU requirements is a great first step towards finding a home comfort system that provides energy-efficient and cooling and heating throughout your home. Even better, we recommend that you find a local Carrier expert to provide a professional assessment of your home. Your local Carrier dealer has the tools and expertise to properly size a cooling and heating system that fits your climate, your home and your personal preferences. And, with access to Carrier’s comprehensive family of indoor comfort products, your Carrier dealer is both equipped and backed by the inventor of modern air conditioning systems — Carrier.
