Cooling Capacity Cooling capacity is the ability of a central air conditioner to remove heat from a room or space. There are a few conditions to determine the cooling capacity for a particular room. One factor is the amount of space within the closed area. The second is the air temperature in the room prior to cooling, as well as the air temperature outside of the enclosed space.
Determining Your Cooling Capacity Cooling capacity is measured in British Thermal Units, or BTUs, per hour. This measurement unit reflects the amount of energy or heat required to raise the temperature of 1 lb. of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. In air conditioning terms, this refers to the amount of heat the air conditioner can remove from a home. In order to calculate the BTU amount, determine the width and length of the room, the geographical region, the average number of persons typically occupying the area to be cooled, and what your current method of cooling is. With this information, use a cooling capacity calculator and arrive at the number measured in BTUs.