Ton (Cooling Capacity)
A measure of air conditioning and heat pump capacity equal to 12,000 BTU per hour. A typical home needs 2-5 tons of cooling capacity depending on climate and square footage.
Why It Matters
HVAC contractors quote system sizes in tons. An oversized system short-cycles and wastes energy; an undersized one cannot keep up on extreme days.
Related Tools
Related Terms
BTU (British Thermal Unit)
A traditional unit of heat energy, approximately the energy needed to heat one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. One kWh equals about 3,412 BTU. Used to rate furnaces, water heaters, and heating/cooling systems.
Manual J Load Calculation
The industry-standard method (ACCA Manual J) for calculating a home's heating and cooling loads based on climate, insulation, windows, orientation, occupancy, and other factors.
Heat Pump
An efficient HVAC system that transfers heat rather than generating it, providing both heating and cooling. Air-source heat pumps are most common; ground-source (geothermal) are most efficient.