HVAC GLOSSARY - K

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KBTU: (kBtu) One thousand (1,000) Btus.

Kilovolt: (kv) One-thousand volts (1,000). Distribution lines in residential areas usually are 12 kv (12,000 volts).

kW: (kilowatt or kW) A kilowatt equals one thousand (1,000) watts. A unit of measure of the amount of electric power production needed to operate given equipment. On a hot summer afternoon, a typical home, with central air conditioning and other equipment in use, might have a demand of four kW. An electric power capacity of one kW is sufficient to power ten 100-watt light bulbs.

kWh:(kilowatt hour or kWh) A kilowatt hour (kWh) is the number of kilowatts of electricity used in one hour of operation of any equipment. The most commonly used unit of measure telling the amount of electricity consumed over time. It means one kilowatt of electricity supplied for one hour. In 1989, a typical California household consumes 534 kWh in an average month. A typical electric consumer in Pennsylvania currently uses 500 kWh per month of electricity.