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Most of the time, manufacturers don’t list tons, though they list BTUs instead. How Can I Figure Out The Tonnage Of My AC Unit?įinding the tonnage of your AC unit may be as simple as walking outside and reading the label on the condenser unit. All those issues may require an AC repair Austin team like us later on. An HVAC system that’s too big may turn on and off more frequently than necessary, resulting in unnecessary wear and tear, air that’s uncomfortably damp, and higher electrical bills. A unit that’s too small won’t be able to keep up with mid-summer temperatures. Since tonnage describes the cooling capacity of your AC unit, it’s important to right-size your system. So, in HVAC-land, tonnage describes the amount of heat an AC unit can remove from a home in one hour. One ton is equivalent to 12,000 BTUs (288,000 BTUs/24 hours). Obviously, AC units have little to do with heating water or melting ice. And 288,000 BTUs will melt 2,000 pounds of ice in 24 hours. One BTU is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a pound of water by 1oF. In the U.S., heating and cooling capacities are measured in British thermal units (BTUs). (You’re about to get some ammo for your next trivia night though, if that’s any consolation.) Now, stick with us because we have to get a bit engineer-y and math-y for a second.
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So, if someone asks you what “size” AC unit you’re looking for, they’re not asking for physical dimensions they’re asking for a number of tons. The technical HVAC term for “ooomph” is tonnage-the measurement of an AC unit’s cooling capacity. If that sounds familiar, we’re here to help! What Is AC Tonnage, Anyway?Īs you might imagine, an AC unit cooling a 3600 square-foot home requires more oomph than one cooling a 1200 square-foot home. It can be expensive, the research is a time-suck, and unless you’re Austin Heating And Air pros like we are, you’ll quickly come up against unfamiliar industry jargon (like “AC tonnage”) that’ll leave you frustrated, confused, and worried about making a costly mistake.
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OK, real talk: As a homeowner, replacing your air conditioning unit is absolutely no fun.
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