ESCO Air Conditioning Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Study Resource

To determine the tonnage required for an air conditioning system, the most accurate approach is to calculate the heat load of the space in British Thermal Units (BTUs) and then divide that number by 12,000. This is rooted in the understanding that 1 ton of air conditioning is defined as the ability to cool 12,000 BTUs per hour.

Calculating the heat load involves considering various factors such as insulation, the number of occupants, the size of windows, and appliances that generate heat within the space. Once the total heat load is established in BTUs, dividing this figure by 12,000 provides the required tonnage. This method ensures that the air conditioning system is adequately sized to maintain comfort without being oversized, which could lead to inefficient operation and increased energy costs.

Other methods, such as simply adding the total square footage of the area, do not account for variables like insulation quality, window size, and orientation, leading to an inaccurate representation of the cooling needs. Assessing the number of windows or the outdoor temperature alone also fails to capture the full spectrum of factors influencing heat gain or loss in the environment. Therefore, calculating the heat load in BTUs is the most comprehensive and reliable method for determining the required ton