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The language of commercial HVAC often sounds strange to people who aren\u2019t in the field\u2014something that\u2019s true of almost any specialized field. But our commercial HVAC experts take pride in working closely with all our customers. It\u2019s one of the reasons most of our customers stay with us for life. We want you to understand what\u2019s happening with your HVAC equipment and what it all means. That way we can maintain great communication that keeps you in the loop.<\/p>\n
One example of commercial HVAC lingo you have heard before is tonnage<\/em>, as in \u201cHow much tonnage does a business need for proper climate control?\u201d This sounds like we\u2019re talking about the weight of an HVAC system, but we\u2019re not. Tonnage refers to the cooling and heating capacity of a rooftop HVAC unit or other heat pump\/air conditioning system. Finding the ideal tonnage for a commercial or industrial facility is a key part of the work we do.<\/p>\n Most commercial facilities use a rooftop packaged HVAC unit<\/a> to handle heating and cooling. These are types of heat pump systems that circulate refrigerant to move heat from one place to another: in heating mode, the heat is moved from outdoors to the indoors, and in cooling mode the process reverses. The power of this type of HVAC unit is measured in BTUs, or British Thermal Units. One BTU is equal to the heat necessary to change the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. A simple window air conditioning unit can move about 5,000 BTUs of heat from a home in an hour. Commercial systems are much<\/em> more powerful, which is why it\u2019s easier to use a larger measurement to describe their heating and cooling abilities: the ton.<\/p>\n One ton of heating or cooling power is equal to 12,000 BTUs. The reason this unit is called a ton<\/em> is because this is the heat energy necessary to melt a ton of ice over an hour.<\/p>\n The tonnage range for commercial air conditioners and heaters is immense. While most homes use systems between 1.5 to 5 tons, commercial systems come in units of 10, 25, and 50 tons. A larger facility may use multiple 50-ton units to provide it with proper heating and cooling.<\/p>\n This is why you must always work with experienced commercial HVAC contractors when it\u2019s time to have heating and air conditioning installation or replacement. Only a contractor with training and experience can determine the right tonnage to maintain the environment necessary for comfort, process, and to protect equipment. Too much or too little tonnage can spell serious trouble leading to high costs to replace equipment that can\u2019t do the job.<\/p>\nWhat Tonnage Means<\/h3>\n
How Much Tonnage Your Commercial Facility Requires<\/h3>\n