When buying air conditioners, most people are aware of the renowned brands available in the market. However, they are unfamiliar and confused about the tonnage term of the air conditioner. In the HVAC industry, air conditioning tonnage is the most widely used yet mysterious word. Often people think that tonnage is used for tons of air the unit deals with in a specified time or the weight of the unit. But, an air conditioning tonnage is actually for rating air conditioning units, helping to determine the cooling capacity of air conditioners. Here is everything else you need to know about Air Conditioning Tonnage.
What is AC tonnage in simple terms?
Remember, AC tonnage has nothing to do with the weight of the unit, but it is a term used to explain the amount of heat an AC system can eliminate from a home in one hour. However, higher AC tonnage can mean higher energy expenses as it means that an AC system with higher tonnage works more. Therefore, it is recommended to use an AC tonnage calculator to buy the right AC system.
Importance of AC Tonnage
BTU, or the British thermal unit, is a common measuring unit according to internationally recognised standards. So, every square foot of a room needs around 20 BTU per hour. There are 12,000 BTUs to one ton. So, if anyone is using a 1-ton AC in a larger room that may need a higher or 1.5-ton AC, the cooling would be insufficient or not quick. It will lead to the use of higher fan speeds or reduced temperatures to balance, resulting in higher electricity costs.
On the other hand, bigger or 1.5-ton AC, in a small room will spend more power than required, leading to a waste of energy.
Selecting the Right Cooling Option
The right AC tonnage is the best way to get the most out of the AC unit. However, you need to evaluate the correct tonnage required for your room, which needs few considerations. These include the room size, climate zone, current energy efficiency of your home, etc.
Thus, the correct tonnage is crucial since both underpowered and overpowered air conditioners can cause more expenses in the long run. It is wise to use an AC tonnage calculator to determine the correct type of AC for your home. All leading manufacturers and suppliers of electrical products, like Mitsubishi Electric India, provide users the ease to determine the right tonnage for AC purchase through its online tool. One just needs to enter the area size for the roof and floor on available tools to decide the correct AC for their place.
