Homes and businesses have varying structures: different in size, shape and materials. And different buildings are used in different ways. One size really doesn’t fit all. That’s why, before you get a new heating and cooling system installed, you’ll need a thorough inspection and load calculations performed.

Load calculations are critical to determine the exact needs of your home or commercial space as you’re considering an upgrade, and to avoid some of the most common pitfalls, such as oversizing. Oversizing means getting a bigger system than you really need, which eliminates the efficiencies of new equipment, costs more to operate, breaks down more often and contributes to big temperature swings.

It’s estimated that over half the HVAC contractors in the country don’t size air conditioning and heating systems correctly.

At ConditionedAir we use the Manual J system in our sizing and load calculations, which is the most common process used in the United States, and the one approved by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America. It’s a comprehensive examination of your home for all of the factors that contribute or mitigate your HVAC needs, including:

• The climate here in Southwest Florida
• The size and shape of your home, and its orientation
• Quality and amount of insulation
• The location and types of windows
• Amount of air infiltration
• And the type of light fixtures and major appliances in your home (which all give off more heat than you might imagine)

Load calculations also include an inspection of your home’s seals and examine the state of your existing duct system. You can often improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of your system by just reorienting and repairing your ducts.

There are a large number of factors that go into your new load calculations, so be sure and discuss all of the different data points with your contractor before work starts on your home or business. Also, don’t hesitate to ask for copies of the completed calculations when your contractor is finished, as it’s your only proof that the work was done correctly.

Still have questions? ConditionedAir is staffed with experts on load calculations. Feel free to contact us any time.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about load calculation and other HVAC topics, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Conditioned Air services Southwest Florida including cities Marco Island, Ft. Myers or anywhere in between.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.