Why BTU's Are An Important Part Of Every Fireplace And Heater

BY Collin Champagne Feb 24, 2023

You may have heard of a term called "BTU's" when referring to your heater or fireplace. BTU is an acronym that stands for British Thermal Units. It measures the amount of "power" or heat your fireplace puts off.

If you need to find the BTU rating for a heater you already own, you can check the appliance itself or look for a metal sheet attached by a chain to the unit. If you are shopping on our site we always include the BTU rating in the product details under "Technical Specifications".

BTU ratings are important because they help you understand what fireplace is best suited for your space. If you need a room heater or wood stove for your 1,000 sq ft apartment, but buy one that can heat up to a 3,000 sq ft. space, you may end up overpaying for more power than you need and/or overheat your space and make it uncomfortable.

Once you find the BTU rating for the fireplace you are interested in, a simple math equation will help you decide if that appliance will heat your home efficiently. Take the BTU rating and divide that by 40 to get the amount of space the heater can heat.

: BTU rating

For example, if a fireplace has a 40,000 BTU rating, divide that by 40 and you'll see that appliance can heat roughly 1,000 sq ft. You can do the problem the other way and multiply your square footage by 40 to figure out how many BTUs are needed for your room.

It's important to note, this is only a rough estimate because outdoor temperatures, home insulation and high ceilings can make a difference in the effectiveness of your fireplace or room heater.

You can refer to this BTU calculator to get ratios specific to your situation. If you have any other questions, please call our NFI certified techs at 800.203.1642.

About the Author

Collin Champagne

With over 13 years in the industry, Collin is a National Fireplace Institute (NFI) certified technician and managed content for the eFireplacestore and eCanopy brands. He has achieved the highest NFI certification possible as a Master Hearth Professional and is certified in all three hearth appliance fields: wood, gas, and pellet. With experience with sales and in-field installations, his expertise shines through his technical knowledge and way with words.