Load calculations are commonly performed for residential heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) systems. Whether you’re looking to improve your existing HVAC system or upgrade to a new HVAC system, you may want to get a load calculation. When performed by a licensed technician, a load calculation can reveal how many British Thermal Units (BTUs) your HVAC system needs to produce.
What Is an HVAC Load Calculation?
An HVAC load calculation is the process of calculating the ideal load capacity of HVAC equipment for a given home. HVAC equipment can consist of an air conditioning system, furnace, heat pump or any combination thereof. With an HVAC load calculation, you can determine the correct size for your home’s HVAC equipment.
The Formula for an HVAC Load Calculation
There’s no single formula for an HVAC load calculation. Rather, different HVAC companies use their own formulas. With that said, most HVAC load calculations involve several factors.
The size of your home’s indoor space will affect the ideal load capacity of its HVAC equipment. Bigger homes will inevitably require HVAC equipment with a higher load capacity. The load capacity of HVAC equipment, of course, is the heating or cooling output. It’s typically measured in BTUs. The more BTUs an air conditioning or furnace produces, the greater its cooling or heating power.
In addition to square footage of your home’s indoor space, other factors that may affect an HVAC load calculation include the following:
· Insulation
· Number of windows
· Sun exposure
· Ceiling height
· Number of occupants
· Air tightness
· Region
Why You Should Get an HVAC Load Calculation
By getting an HVAC load calculation, you can choose HVAC equipment in the appropriate size for your home. You won’t have to randomly choose HVAC equipment while hoping it’s the right size. An HVAC load calculation will provide you with the correct size for your home.
An HVAC load calculation can extend the life of your home’s HVAC equipment. Oversized HVAC equipment may fail prematurely. If your air conditioning system or furnace is too big for your home, it may short cycle. Short cycling involves the equipment repeatedly turning on and off, which can lead to wear and tear. Fortunately, you can prevent short cycling by choosing HVAC equipment in the right size for your home.
By eliminating the issue of short cycling, an HVAC load calculation can make your home’s HVAC equipment more energy efficient. The equipment will operate more efficiently while saving you money on your home’s heating and cooling costs.