Saving Money With Manual J Load Calculations And Manual D Duct Design
Being energy Efficient is the environmentally responsible thing to do
. Ensuring that your home is as energy efficient as possible means that you are putting less of a footprint on our earth. There are a number of things that you can make your home more energy efficient, and having the correct heating and cooling system is probably one of the most critical. Of course, saving energy is also something that can have a pretty profound effect on your wallet. The less money you spend to keep your home conditioned in the summer and winter, the more money you will have for other things.
Manual J Residential Load Calculation written by Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) is the recommended method to accurately calculate the required size of a HVAC system for a residential house.
It is more cost-effective to size a HVAC unit according to the average winter or summer condition while deciding the outdoor design temperature, instead of preparing for the rare worst-case-scenarios. The latest version of this method is Manual J8, which is more accurate if your duct system is in an unconditioned area. Manual J8 is sensitive to the following.
-the tightness of the sealing of the supply and return ducts
-insulation level of the ducts
-duct surface area in the unconditioned area
-the general temperature of the unconditioned area
If your air conditioner or furnace is larger than what is needed for your home then it is likely not providing the level of comfort you would like. An oversized HVAC system is also much more expensive in the first place. The surest way to avoid this kind of problem is to have the contractor installing your HVAC system do an ACCA certified Manual J calculationanalysis. This will help to determine the needed heat loss and heat gain for each of the rooms in your home. After this your contractor can recommend which equipment will best meet your comfort needs.
It is also highly recommended that you have a professional use Manual D to help design the duct system in your home. Manual D utilizes the information provided by Manual J in designing the right size and layout of your home's ductwork. Unfortunately, many homeowners do not give much thought to the duct layout in their homes. These can cause you to lose much of the efficiency provided by yourHVAC system even if they are correctly sized. The fact is, you do not need your ductwork supplying the same amount of warm or cool air to a smaller room as you do a larger one.
By hiring a skilled and competent professional who uses ACCA certified Manual J load calculations, you can be assured that you will be getting the properly sized equipment for your home. The use of Manual D duct design will also improve the overall HVAC design and functionality for your home. This translates into a house that is much more comfortable and is consistently at the correct temperature without putting undue strain on your HVAC equipment. Maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of your home's heating and cooling system can provide you with years of comfort and savings.