What is Air Conditioning

Air conditioning and Heating (home comfort) is one of those things we have grown accustomed to, something we seem to take for granted.


For those who aren't familiar with the terms, a central air conditioner works from a central location to distribute conditioned air throughout a house.

Unlike a small, window- or wall-mounted room air conditioner, designed to cool a small area, a central air conditioner borrows a central air handling unit such as a forced air furnace or heat pump and ductwork for whole-house delivery. The related heat pump is essentially a central air conditioner that can be reversed in winter to heat a house.

Cooling capacity

Manufacturers produce air conditioners in a variety of sizes, typically measured in "tons" or "BTUs per hour."

A BTU (British Thermal Unit) is a common unit used for measuring heat output, equal to the amount of energy required to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. One ton equals 12,000 BTUs/hour-a term derived from the amount of energy required to melt 1 ton of ice in a day.

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