To calculate the BTU (British Thermal Unit) you need, consider the room's size, the number of occupants, and heat-generating devices present
. BTU measures the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit and indicates the cooling capacity of an air conditioner
. You can determine your BTU needs by using the following formula
: BTU = (Room Length × Room Width × 180 × Room Height) + (Number of People × 500) + (Number of Devices × 500) As an example, for a room measuring 3m x 4m x 2.5m with two occupants and one device, the calculation would be
:
- Room Volume: 3 × 4 × 180 × 2.5 = 5400 BTUs
- People Contribution: 2 × 500 = 1000 BTUs
- Device Contribution: 1 × 500 = 500 BTUs
- Total BTUs Required: 5400 + 1000 + 500 = 6900 BTUs
Alternatively, you can use a general guideline of 20 BTU for each square foot of living space
. Climate also can affect BTU needs, with warmer areas requiring 30 to 40 BTUs per square foot, moderate areas needing 40 to 45 BTUs per square foot, and colder areas needing up to 60 BTUs per square foot
. Here is a table that provides a quick reference to help you select the appropriate BTU rating based on your room size
:
|
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Up to 15 m²| 5000 BTU
30 - 40 m²| 10000 BTU
40 - 50 m²| 12000 BTU
50 - 70 m²| 15000 BTU
70 - 90 m²| 18000 BTU
90 - 110 m²| 21000 BTU
110 - 130 m²| 24000 BTU
130 - 150 m²| 30000 BTU
