How much heat does your furnace provide? Knowing that will tell you how much energy it’s using, whether it’s the right size for your home, and a host of other information. To find out, look for the number of BTUs it produces in a given period of time. What is a BTU and how does it affect your home’s heating system? Read on to discover what you need to know.
British Thermal Units
A BTU (or British Thermal Unit) is defined as the amount of heat it takes to heat one pound of water by one degree at 39 degrees. Why 39 degrees? That’s the temperature at which water is most dense. It may seem arbitrary, but it provides a good rule of thumb by which all sorts of other things can be measured.
For instance, heating one cubic foot of natural gas requires 1,036 BTUs per hour. On the other hand, if you have a heat pump, each kilowatt hour requires 3,412 BTUs. The United States as a whole uses nearly 100 quadrillion BTUs of energy in an average year.
Sizing
Once you know how much heat your furnace produces, how do you determine how much heat your home actually needs? Your HVAC contractor can figure this out for you by using Manual J. Based on your home’s square footage, window positioning, ceiling height, and other factors, they’ll find the correct-size furnace for optimum comfort and efficiency in your home.
A furnace that’s too small won’t be able to heat your home properly. It will run too long, wasting energy and wearing out prematurely. On the other hand, a furnace that’s too big will short-cycle (turning on and off too quickly). This also wastes energy and causes frequent system breakdowns, as well as disparate temperatures and excess humidity.
By finding the proper number of BTUs for your system, your HVAC contractor will ensure that your furnace heats your home properly without wasting energy.
To ensure maximum efficiency for your home’s furnace, contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. We’re the go-to source for HVAC solutions in Lorain, Elyria, and Oberlin.
Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area