What is a BTU (British Thermal Unit)?
A. It is the amount of heat required to raise a pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. If a fireplace is rated at 20,000 BTUs; it will burn, at full fire, 20,000 BTUs (input) of gas in one hour. Your space, however, will not receive the full 20,000 BTUs worth of gas. A certain amount of heat ends up in your space (output); the rest is lost to vents and chimneys.
Definition: The scientific definition of a BTU (British Thermal Unit) goes something like this: British Thermal Unit – The amount of heat (energy) required to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. In the automotive world, it is used to compare the energy content of various motor fuels.Pronunciation: bee tee yooExamples: A gallon of B20 biodiesel contains 127,250 BTUs of energy.
