Believe it or not, warm weather is on the horizon! Have you ever wondered how much energy it takes to heat the air in your home or how your air conditioner can transform warm air into cold air?
Here’s what you need to know about BTUs. In this blog post we get a bit technical, but for good reason. Hang in there ,and feel free to drop us a note if you have any questions.
What are BTUs?
To start, the acronym BTU is short for British Thermal Unit. This measurement shows how much energy it takes per hour for your HVAC system (or just your furnace or air conditioner on its own) to cool or heat the air. Professionals like us use BTU measurements to help determine the type and size of system best suited for your home.
To understand the energy and heat you get from one BTU, just know that it is equal to the amount of heat generated by completely burning a wooden kitchen match. The average use of a US-manufactured HVAC system delivers just over 50 percent of the equipment rated BTUs into your home.
There are two foundational measurements for BTUs: a Heating BTU formula and a Cooling BTU formula. Both focus on airflow, volume of airflow in time, and overall temperatures. However, air conditioners require that two types of BTUs from the air pass through the system, including Sensible BTUs (dry heat to be removed) and Latent BTUs (the forcing of warm, moist air to shed moisture as it cools).
Efficiency Ratings
Those of us in the HVAC industry often use a manufacturer’s BTU efficiency ratings in order to supply our customers with the proper new or replacement equipment.
Ask the Experts!
Your HVAC system is made to keep you comfortable in extreme weather—the hot and the cold days—but sometimes those monthly energy bills you find in the mail seem excessive. Why is that? If your system is working overtime to accommodate for an unseen or unrealized issue, you are going to be forced to spend more money to keep cool or stay warm each month. The right BTU measurements matter! Contact us to troubleshoot any HVAC system issues you are experiencing.
Schneider Heating & Air Conditioning is the leader in heating, cooling, ventilation, and air quality products and services in the La Crosse area. We have been serving the Coulee Region for more than 80 years. Our technicians are highly and continually trained utilizing the most sophisticated HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) technologies and equipment. All of our service technicians are NATE (North American Technician Excellence) certified—the largest non-profit certification organization that is governed, owned, operated, developed, and supported by the HVAC industry. At Schneider Heating & Air Conditioning, we pride ourselves on amazing customer service. Contact us today.