A heat load calculator determines the necessary size of a furnace and air conditioning unit based on factors such as room size, insulation, doors, floors, and desired temperature. It is now available online for free and requires accurate data entry. The calculator measures heat load in BTUs and watts to determine the appropriate HVAC system.
A heat load calculator is a tool HVAC professionals use to determine the necessary size of a furnace and air conditioning unit. This tool was once only available to those professionals but is now available online for free. The calculator takes many factors about a room—from size to window quality, insulation, doors, floors, and desired temperature—to calculate the correct BTU output.
A heat load calculator is more of a computer program than a physical calculator, such as the type used in arithmetic. This complex equation that once had to be done by hand can now be completed in minutes. The calculator is commonly found online as a free program that features easily fillable fields. Accuracy in entering these factors is essential to obtaining the correct size of the HVAC system.
Most of the physical work required when using a heat load calculator comes with measuring the rooms. For each room that the HVAC system will reach, the length, width and height must be measured and entered in feet. Exposed walls, also known as outward facing walls, also need to be entered into the calculator.
The level of insulation that needs to be entered into the heat load calculator requires research, often looking back at remodeling documents. The level of insulation of the walls and ceilings must be entered in the appropriate field of the calculator. The level of insulation in the United States is measured between R6 and R20. The higher the number, the thicker the insulation. A heat load calculator will also ask what type of flooring the room has and what level, if any, of insulation is under the floor.
Door and window values are also essential for the calculator’s estimation. This means having to measure each door and window and enter the value into the calculator. Most calculators also ask what type of door, such as wood, glass, or sliding, the room has. The number of panes inside each window is also needed to understand the current insulation level of the room.
Finally, the ideal room temperature must be entered, in Fahrenheit for US calculators. Once all these data have been entered, the calculator performs a complex calculation based on all factors and determines the heat load of the house. Heat load is measured in BTUs and watts. These numbers will correspond to the capabilities of the various HVAC systems that will be able to properly deliver heat and air to the room.
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