What Does Three or Two Ton Mean When Talking About Air Conditioners?

Tons

• A ton is a unit of measure. In the American system, people normally think of a ton as a measure of weight, i.e. one ton equals 2,000 pounds. But a ton is also a measure of energy. When applied to air conditioning, a ton is the measure of the amount of energy required to melt one ton of ice in one 24-hour period, according to the Home Improvement Helper website. A ton may also be use to describe the effective cooling power released by one ton of ice melting in one day, according to the Furnace Compare website.

British Thermal Units

• Older air conditioners were measured in tons, but as of the writing of this article the U.S. Department of Energy and most manufacturers used British Thermal Units, or BTUs, to describe the cooling capacity of air conditioners. A BTU represents the amount of energy required to increase the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit.

Comparison

• One ton of air conditioning capacity is equal to 12,000 BTUs. A two-ton air conditioning unit would be equivalent to a 24,000 BTU unit, and a 36,000 BTU air conditioner would be the same as a three-ton unit. A two-ton air conditioning unit would supply the same cooling effect as two tons of ice melting in your home over a 24-hour period, according to the Furnace Compare website.

Appropriate Size

• Different sized air conditioner units are appropriate for different sized spaces. A larger cooling capacity unit is not always the most efficient or cost effective choice, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Units that are too large for your space may not adequately remove humidity form the space, while units that are too small may not be able to provide adequate cooling. There are a number of factors that can affect the size of the air conditioner you need to properly cool your space, but a rule of thumb is that you need a two-ton, or 24,000 BTU, unit to cool a 1,500-square-foot home, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.