In every specialty service industry, from HVAC to plumbing, there’s a language. This language is filled with all of the unique terms, definitions, and labels that are learned from spending years on the job. Some of these terms don’t need to be known by the general public because they only apply to very specific, in-house matters. That’s not the case for all industry-specific words, however, especially when it comes to HVAC. 

Sometimes it’s good to know industry language, because it helps you better understand your needs when working with specialty service providers. That’s why we’ve started our newest blog series, HVAC Terms Defined, to help average people learn more about the specialty language used by their heating, cooling, and air service providers.

We’ll start with some of the basics before getting more specialized over time. In today’s post, we’ll be talking about a phrase you’ve likely heard before but might not be able to define.

The phrase in question is BTU.

What does BTU stand for?

If the phrase BTU sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve likely seen it before on the specifications for an air conditioner or portable heater you’ve purchased. It’s important to note that BTU stands for British Thermal Units, but we’ll stick with using just BTU for the rest of today’s post.

BTU is an energy measurement, more specifically it is a measure of thermal energy. One BTU is the amount of energy needed to either heat or cool one pound of water by one degree fahrenheit. When used in relation to air conditioners or other appliances, it is frequently measured in BTUs per hour. BTUs are used to measure the power of appliances, including but not limited to air conditioners and electric heaters. In that context, what’s being measured is how many BTUs your appliance can add to or remove from the air in a room to either heat or cool it.

Why should I know about BTUs?

Now that you know what a BTU is and how it’s measured, you’re probably asking: why should I care?

By knowing what a BTU is, you’ll be able to more accurately understand the heating or cooling needs of your living space. Here’s an example:

Let’s say you purchased a portable air conditioner. You didn’t pay attention to it’s BTU output, you just went with a model that looked cool. What you didn’t know when purchasing this unit, however, was that it had a BTU rating of 25,000, which is way overpowered for the 500 square foot apartment you’re living in. What happens in this situation is that the unit cools the air in your apartment too quickly before shutting itself off. By working too hard, too fast, it ends up in a perpetual loop of cycling that puts strain on the unit’s compressor. It burns out way sooner than you expected and then you’re faced with having to buy another unit that is suited for the space. Not only that, but during its phase of constant cycling, the air conditioner is using a lot more electricity than it would otherwise, driving up your monthly energy bills.

The question then becomes: how do I avoid a situation like this one? By knowing how many BTUs/hr are needed for an air conditioning unit or portable heater to properly heat or cool your space without overcycling or burning out.

You can do this by using a free online tool, like this BTU Calculator, to plug in your unique numbers and find your ideal BTU number. Once you have that number, you’ll be able to shop smarter and better, saving money and giving yourself peace of mind.

What’s next?

The amount of energy your home needs to be properly heated or cooled requires is unique. Knowing more about this term and what it entails will help you to better shop for the home heating and cooling upgrades you’re looking for. If you’d like to talk to a professional about BTUs, heating, cooling, or anything else HVAC related… give us a call! The team at Welter Heating is ready to answer your questions anytime.