Whether you purchase a replacement furnace for a current home or a new furnace for a newly constructed home, most homeowners will experience furnace shopping. there are quite a few things to keep in mind when buying a new furnace, though it may seem simple enough initially. Energy efficiency, size, and budget are the primary concerns. One term you are likely to hear in the process is the BTU. The BTU is a great place to start in order to help you find the correct size of furnace for your home and accurately compare different brands and models. The basic information of a furnace’s BTU s what we at Absolute P&M Services would like to explain today.
British Thermal Unit (BTU) Breakdown
The BTU is a unit of measurement for the heating systems capacity and is an acronym for British Thermal Unit. In technical terms, the BTU measures the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by 1°F. In simpler terms, the BTU’s rating indicates to you how much energy a furnace or heat pump can produce. In general, to effectively heat your home the larger your home is, the more BTUs your system will need. Though residential furnaces can range from 40,000 to 200,000 BTUs, the majority of homes will fall into the 80,000 to 100,000 range. As we mentioned earlier, BTU is all about capacity. Do not confuse the BTU term with energy-efficiency, it is the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or the SEER, which is the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, or AFUE regarding furnaces, and for heat pumps.
What is the Formula for Calculating BTU?
Bigger is not always better in this application, so the correct size furnace for your home is important. Unfortunately, to determine the required BTUs is not as simple as looking at the size of your home. Since the most accurate method is the Manual J Load calculation, there are takes several factors into account that are listed below.
How Do I Know what BTU I Need?
– The Window and Door’s Tightness in the Frame
– The Average Number of Occupants
– Square Footage
– Insulation Grade
– Home’s Construction & Building Materials
– Exposure of the Sun
Schedule Professional Heater Maintenance
Calculating the required BTU using the Manual J Load calculation is not an easy task for most homeowners. Though you may think hiring a pro is more expensive, in the end, it can save you money and headaches down the road. It is in your better interest to hire a professional and experienced HVAC technician, where thy can make the proper calculations.
Furnace & Boiler Heating Maintenance, Repairs, Replacement & More in Santa Fe, Tomball, Sugar Land, Galveston, Austin & Greater Houston, Texas
The professionals of Absolute P&M Services can help you with the process when it comes to buying a new furnace for your Greater Houston, Texas area home. In addition to assisting you, you will find the furnace that fits your budget, preferred features, and quality model, our specialist will help you calculate the BTUs as well as the AFUE. In addition to replacing and stalling furnaces, you can rely on Absolute P&M Services for heating services such as repairs and maintenance needs. Call us today!
