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Determining AC Tonnage

D & W Heating & Air Conditioning

What is HVAC Tonnage?

In air conditioning language, the term tonnage refers to how much heat a cooling system can remove within an hour. The measurement for heat used with the HVAC ton is the BTU or British Thermal Unit. It takes 1 ton of air conditioning to remove 12,000 BTUs of air in an hour. An AC unit with a higher tonnage can cool more air more quickly.

Origin of the HVAC Ton

Historically, early versions of the refrigerator were created by employing a block of ice and an electrical fan. The fan blowing over the ice created cool air flow. (Modern air conditioners operate on similar principles. However, modern AC systems use an evaporator coil rather than ice.) The measurement of "ton" actually refers to a ton of ice, which can remove 12,000 BTUs of hot air in an hour. This unit of measurement was adopted by modern AC systems, although there is no longer any giant ice blocks involved.

How Many Tons Does My Building Need

The square footage of the home or business is the primary thing to assess when determining the tonnage of an AC system. Generally, a ton of air conditioning is necessary for every 500 to 1,000 square feet. However, the age of a building, the state of insulation, the ductwork, the height of the ceiling, and the size of the windows should be considered as well.

If you would like to know more about AC repair in Bradenton, call the professionals at D & W Heating & Air Conditioning at (941) 479-9889 for a free estimate..

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