Heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) technicians often perform load calculations when recommending AC systems and furnaces to their customers.
If you’re planning to buy a new HVAC system, for instance, an HVAC technician may perform a load calculation. Using this information, the HVAC technician can then recommend AC systems and furnaces that are suitable for your home.
What is a load calculation exactly, and how does it work?
The Basics of an HVAC Load Calculation
A load calculation is a mathematical process that’s designed to find the appropriate size of an HVAC system for a given home or building.
HVAC systems, of course, contain a cooling unit and a heating unit. Cooling units are AC systems, whereas heating units are typically furnaces or heat exchangers.
Load calculations allow HVAC technicians to choose appropriately sized HVAC systems, meaning both the cooling unit and heating unit is the right size for the customer’s home.
Keep in mind that the size of an HVAC system represents its heating and cooling power. A large size means an HVAC system has a high British Thermal Unit (BTU) output, whereas a small size means an HVAC system has a low BTU output.
Large HVAC systems aren’t always physically larger than small HVAC systems. Rather, they have a higher BTU output.
How an HVAC Load Calculation Works
During a load calculation, an HVAC technician will take measurements of your home’s interior.
He or she will measure your home’s square footage while also accounting for other factors like insulation, number of rooms and airtightness.
Using all of these factors, the HVAC technician will determine the right size HVAC system for your home.
The Importance of an HVAC Load Calculation
Getting a load calculation from an HVAC technician is important for several reasons.
If you’re buying a new HVAC system, you’ll need to ensure it’s the right size. Both oversized and undersized HVAC systems can cause various problems.
If you buy an oversized HVAC system, you may experience short cycling. With short cycling, your HVAC system will turn on and off many times throughout the day. It will quickly warm or cool your home, after which it will cut off. And shortly thereafter, your HVAC system will repeat this process.
If your HVAC system is too small, conversely, it may not provide enough heating and cooling power to meet your family’s needs. Small HVAC systems can still run. Without a sufficient BTU output, though, they often fail to create a comfortable indoor temperature.
If you are experiencing a problem with your air conditioning or heating call us at 512-336-1431 to schedule an appointment. We’ll be glad to come out and take a look at the issue.
1431-183 A/C & Heating proudly serves Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Leander, Liberty Hill, and North Austin.
