This Blog was posted by Smithson Valley Services Air Conditioning. We serve the Texas Hill Country, including Blanco | Bulverde | Canyon Lake | Fisher | Kendalia | New Braunfels | North San Antonio | Sattler | Sisterdale | Smithson Valley | Spring Branch | Startzville
HVAC Services – How Big Should Your System Be
While HVAC technicians are specially trained, it is still important for anyone considering buying a new HVAC system to know how to calculate HVAC tonnage. By knowing the exact tonnage of a space, consumers can knowledgeably purchase the correct size of HVAC units needed to heat and cool the area properly. The knowledge can keep customers from buying insufficient HVAC units or paying too much for units they don’t need.
What Is Tonnage?
Tonnage is a unit of measure that tells an HVAC technician how much cooling capacity is needed to cool a space adequately. One ton of refrigeration is about the same energy as the amount of heat needed to melt one ton of ice melting in the space in twenty-four hours. Each ton of refrigeration equals 12,000 British thermal units (BTU) an hour. On average, most residential HVAC systems have a one to five-ton capacity. Calculating the correct tonnage is a skill developed by HVAC technicians and a necessary step in installing a new HVAC system. More on this webpage
Account for Space
The first step in calculating HVAC tonnage is to measure the complete area of each room and convert it to BTUs. If you readily have the square footage of the house available, then you have the area. Otherwise, finding the area of a room does not require advanced geometry skills. Use simple rectangles and multiply the length by the width of each room. Then multiply that number by 337 to convert that number into the number of BTUs needed to heat or cool the room.
Account for Occupants
Each occupant of a space generates heat. In residential areas, it is easy to account for how many people generally occupy the space. For commercial locations, it can be difficult to account for the average number of occupants. Some may derive this number based on the maximum occupancy, while others might round off the number of employees in an office. However, the number is arrived at, and the total number of occupants in the space must be multiplied by 400 to determine the BTUs generated by body heat.
Account for Any Other Heat Generators
The orientation of the building can likewise affect the heat generated in the space. Buildings that face the afternoon sun will require more power to cool the space than will buildings that face morning sunlight. The general rule of thumb is to multiply the area of any room that faces south by 870 and any north-facing room by 165. Finally, some commercial spaces will need to offset the heat generated by electrical equipment in the building. This is done by multiplying the wattage used by equipment by 3.5 and the wattage of all lighting by 4.25.
Convert into Tonnage
After all heat-generating sources are accounted for, the figures should be added together to determine the total heat load of the building. Doubling that number will determine how much cooling power is needed for BTUs. Dividing that number by 12,000 will give the tonnage number. This number will help guide decisions and give a rough estimate of how big of an HVAC system is needed to heat and cool the area properly. Don’t be discouraged if the number a professional arrives at is slightly different. Experts will consider more information, such as construction materials and insulation in the building, to arrive at a more exact number. Still, tonnage, as calculated above should give a solid estimate of the HVAC system needed for the space.
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