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FAQs

How many Btu's to heat a shop? ›

For example, a 300 square foot room typically requires 7,000 BTUs to maintain a comfortable temperature, while a 1,000 square foot room requires 18,000 BTUs. A simple formula to determine your heating needs is: (desired temperature change) x (cubic feet of space) x . 133 = BTUs needed per hour.

2,100-square-foot home would take between 65,000 and 125,000 BTUs. 2,400-square-foot homes would take between 75,000 and 145,000 BTUs.

Measure the height, length and width of each area you want to heat. Now take and multiply these numbers to obtain the cubic feet. Write down the temperature you want to maintain. Check and see what the lowest area temperature is.

Calculate cooling capacity: You can use a rule of thumb that suggests around 20 BTUs per square foot of space to get an idea of how much cooling capacity you need. Multiply the room's square footage by 20 to get a basic estimate of the required cooling capacity.

As a basic rule, the figure will be between 30 and 60 BTUs per square foot.

operate at 20 BTUs to 30 BTUs per square footage. However, these being ballpark estimates, you should confirm accurate cubic feet of cold air in your region and multiply that by the desired warmth in temperature.

5,000–10,000 BTUs: Suitable for small garages or workshops (up to 300 square feet) and ideal for spot heating or maintaining a moderate temperature in a limited space. 10,000–20,000 BTUs: Appropriate for medium-sized garages (300 to 600 square feet) and provides more substantial heating capacity for improved coverage.

What is the rule of thumb for sizing unit heaters? ›

The minimum BTU a unit heater would need to have to properly cover the space would be 25,000. Another rule of thumb you can use to calculate BTU that is even simpler is 20 BTU per 1 square foot. Use this in cases where getting measurements or determining insulation may be more difficult.

Infrared Heaters

They work well for garages that aren't sufficiently insulated because you're not losing hot air. Pros: Quiet option that can be powered by electricity, propane, or natural gas. Energy-efficient.

BTU Calculation Formula

Climate Factor: The climate factor considers whether you need heating or cooling. For heating, use a factor of 20 BTUs per square foot, while cooling requires 25 BTUs per square foot. Insulation Factor: Assess the insulation quality of your space.

400 – 450 sq. feet: 10,000 BTUs. 450 – 550 sq. feet: 12,000 BTUs.

As a guide, consider 5,000-BTU models for rooms 150 square feet or smaller, 8,000 BTUs for medium-size rooms (340 square feet), and 12,000 to 14,000-BTU models for rooms with square footage from 550 to 800. Having the correct power is imperative.

A good BTU per square foot heating rule of thumb is to look up which climate zone your property is in and then use the following table as a starting point for your recommended BTU per square foot heating value: Zone 1: 30-35 BTU per square foot. Zone 2: 35-40 BTU per square foot. Zone 3: 40-45 BTU per square foot.

For a 1 car garage with 200 sq ft to 300 sq ft, the estimated heater size is 15,000 to 25,000 BTUs. For a 2 car garage with 500 sq ft to 700 sq ft, the estimated heater size is 30,000 to 45,000 BTUs. For a 3 car garage with 750 sq ft to 900 sq ft, the estimated heater size is 45,000 to 55,000 BTUs.

They will then calculate the BTU by dividing the space (in square feet) by 500 and then multiplying its answer by 12,000. They will also add approximately 380 BTU for each person in the space, 1,000 BTU for each window, and 1,200 BTU for each kitchen.

Size Your Commercial HVAC System in Five Steps

Divide the square footage area by 500. Multiply the result from Step 2 by 12,000. Add 380 Btu for each building occupant, plus 1,200 Btu for each kitchen and 1,000 Btu for each window in the space.