BTU, or British thermal unit, is the industry-standard used to measure the heating efficiency of furnaces. In addition to BTU ratings, furnace manufacturers might include a Manual J Load rating and a percentage of energy efficiency.
A debenture is a type of debt instrument that is not secured by physical assets or collateral. Debentures are backed only by the general creditworthiness and reputation of the issuer. Both corporations and governments frequently issue this type of bond to secure capital.
Bonds are a form of debt. Bonds are loans, or IOUs, but you serve as the bank. You loan your money to a company, a city, the government â and they promise to pay you back in full, with regular interest payments. A city may sell bonds to raise money to build a bridge, while the federal government issues bonds to finance its spiraling debts.