Quick reference table
Common heat transfer coefficient conversions
| From | To |
|---|---|
| 1 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) | 5.678263341 W/(m²·K) |
| 1 W/(m²·K) | 0.1761101837 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) |
| 1 kcal/(h·m²·°C) | 1.162222222 W/(m²·K) |
| 1 W/(cm²·K) | 10,000 W/(m²·K) |
How to convert heat transfer coefficient
The heat transfer coefficient (U-value) measures how easily heat passes through a wall, window or heat exchanger surface. Lower values mean better insulation.
Every heat transfer coefficient unit is a fixed multiple of one base unit, the W/(m²·K). To convert a value, multiply it by the size of the starting unit and divide by the size of the target unit. For example, to convert BTU/(h·ft²·°F) to W/(m²·K), multiply by 5.678263341. To go the other way, divide by 5.678263341.
The converter above does this for you and shows the exact formula under the result.
Worked examples
BTU per hour-square foot-degree F to Watts per square meter-kelvin
| BTU per hour-square foot-degree F (BTU/(h·ft²·°F)) | Watts per square meter-kelvin (W/(m²·K)) |
|---|---|
| 1 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) | 5.678263341 W/(m²·K) |
| 2 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) | 11.35652668 W/(m²·K) |
| 5 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) | 28.39131671 W/(m²·K) |
| 10 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) | 56.78263341 W/(m²·K) |
| 25 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) | 141.9565835 W/(m²·K) |
| 50 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) | 283.9131671 W/(m²·K) |
| 100 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) | 567.8263341 W/(m²·K) |
| 1,000 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) | 5,678.263341 W/(m²·K) |
Watts per square meter-kelvin to BTU per hour-square foot-degree F
| Watts per square meter-kelvin (W/(m²·K)) | BTU per hour-square foot-degree F (BTU/(h·ft²·°F)) |
|---|---|
| 1 W/(m²·K) | 0.1761101837 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) |
| 2 W/(m²·K) | 0.3522203674 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) |
| 5 W/(m²·K) | 0.8805509184 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) |
| 10 W/(m²·K) | 1.761101837 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) |
| 25 W/(m²·K) | 4.402754592 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) |
| 50 W/(m²·K) | 8.805509184 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) |
| 100 W/(m²·K) | 17.61101837 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) |
| 1,000 W/(m²·K) | 176.1101837 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) |
Heat transfer coefficient units explained
| Unit | Symbol | Equals |
|---|---|---|
| Watts per square meter-kelvin | W/(m²·K) | 1 W/(m²·K) = 1 W/(m²·K) |
| Kilowatts per square meter-kelvin | kW/(m²·K) | 1 kW/(m²·K) = 1,000 W/(m²·K) |
| Watts per square centimeter-kelvin | W/(cm²·K) | 1 W/(cm²·K) = 10,000 W/(m²·K) |
| Kilocalories per hour-square meter-degree C | kcal/(h·m²·°C) | 1 kcal/(h·m²·°C) = 1.16222222222 W/(m²·K) |
| Calories per second-square centimeter-degree C | cal/(s·cm²·°C) | 1 cal/(s·cm²·°C) = 41,840 W/(m²·K) |
| BTU per hour-square foot-degree F | BTU/(h·ft²·°F) | 1 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) = 5.67826334111 W/(m²·K) |
| BTU per second-square foot-degree F | BTU/(s·ft²·°F) | 1 BTU/(s·ft²·°F) = 20,441.7480280 W/(m²·K) |
Popular conversions: u-value conversion, btu/hft2f to w/m2k.
Frequently asked questions
How many W/(m²·K) is 1 BTU/(h·ft²·°F)?
One BTU per hour per square foot per degree Fahrenheit is about 5.678 W/(m²·K).
How do I convert BTU/(h·ft²·°F) to W/(m²·K)?
Multiply the value in BTU/(h·ft²·°F) by 5.678263341 to get W/(m²·K). For example, 10 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) = 56.78263341 W/(m²·K).
How many W/(m²·K) is 1 BTU/(h·ft²·°F)?
1 BTU/(h·ft²·°F) = 5.678263341 W/(m²·K), and 1 W/(m²·K) = 0.1761101837 BTU/(h·ft²·°F).
Does this heat transfer coefficient converter work offline?
Yes. After the page has loaded once, all calculations run in your browser, so it keeps working without an internet connection.