When you’re in the process of selecting a new heating or cooling system, the first step should be a load calculation. It helps you learn your home’s strengths and weaknesses with regard to its energy efficiency. When you know where the inefficiencies lie, you can take steps to improve them, which can make a difference in the size of equipment you need.
When HVAC contractors calculate the conditioning load in your home, they use a tool called Manual J. It takes into account these factors:
- Cubic footage you need to condition;
- Insulation levels in the walls and attic;
- Windows, their efficiency and exposure to the sun;
- Floor plan of your home;
- Air infiltration rates;
- Heat-producing appliances under roof;
- Preferred temperatures;
- Age and number of family members; and
- Outdoor landscaping factors.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Aspen, Vail and the surrounding Western slope communities in Colorado about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about load calculations and other HVAC topics, please visit our website.
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