Home Heating and Cooling Load Calculations: How They’re Similar Yet Different

Schedule Now

Heating and cooling load calculations determine the amount of energy needed to change the climate in a structure to a certain desired point. The load is influenced by heat gains, heat loss and air infiltration. To determine the correct load for heating and cooling, taking into account those gains and losses is crucial to accurately calculate the correct HVAC system size.

Cooling load, as well as home heating load calculations are a function of the “Manual J” from the ACCA or Air Conditioning Contractors of America. To calculate this number you need to know design conditions, thermal enclosure and internal loads of the structure you’re calculating for. Design Conditions are the location and architectural make-up of the building. Thermal enclosure is the type of insulation and materials around the house, protecting it from heat loss and gain. Internal loads are things like ovens, refrigerators, lights and appliances that will add to the heat of a house.

The difference in calculating these numbers is that for heating installations, the majority of the heating will be done at night, when internal loads will be at a minimum. On the contrary, internal loads for cooling are going to be higher because the main time the cooling system will be working is when people are in the home doing activities. That is why a rule-of-thumb or “educated guess” will not work for home heating load calculations. Even if the Manual J has been performed before for cooling systems, when getting ready to install a new furnace or heating system, re-calculating the Manual J for heating is extremely important. This will save you money in energy bills as well as keep your system from being over-burdened and requiring frequent repairs.

For more expert information on installation and load calculations, contact us, we are happy to answer any questions you may have. At Apollo Home Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing, we’ve been proudly serving the Cincinnati area for over a century.

Image via Shutterstock.com

Schedule
Call
"Ernie & Mike did a superb job on my new furnace and A/C installation. Despite having more than a day’s work to do, they came in and stayed until the job was done. They were organized, efficient, and protected the rest of the house well. Got both furnace and A/C installed the same day. Ernie was courteous, informative, and clearly knew his job better than anyone I’ve encountered before. The units look so good guests now get The Tour of our new system. Apollo is clearly not a fly-by-night company. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a new furnace and/or A/C."
- Jerry A.
"I called Apollo because of a water leak I thought I had in our upstairs shower going into the kitchen. Robbie came and assured me everything was fine & looked at all the other plumbing. He ended up changing a few pipes for our washer & clearing a drain. He was very nice & knowledgeable with all my questions. I ended up signing up for the care plan & was very happy with my service."
- Cassandra B.
"The team at Apollo exceeded my expectations. As a business owner, my attention to the details and commitment to providing excellent service is high. From the sales rep. to the installation team, everyone’s performance was outstanding. For example, the installation team went to great lengths to protect our floors, placing floor runners and across the wood floors and up the stairs. They even were spot washing walls upon their departure. I highly recommend this company."
- Randy B.
"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
- Sarah B.
"Apollo is an excellent company. I always receive great service. Alex A. was professional and friendly. He kept me informed during the process of checking my furnace and heat pump to make sure they were working properly. The company makes sure you are notified who is coming and when they are on the way. All my interactions with the company have been wonderful."
- Beverly S.
    Read Reviews
    Image

    Financing

    Learn More
    Image

    Apollo Care Plan

    Learn More