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HVAC Load Calculator

Calculate heating and cooling load requirements based on square footage, insulation, climate zone, and windows.

HomeResidential
ft²
ppl
HVAC loadLIVE
Sample data

Example numbers for a 1–2 person shop. Edit any field to make it yours — it saves on this device.

Recommended system
4 Ton
3.8 cooling tons
Cooling load
45,000
Heating load
60,000
Cooling tons
3.8
Est. installed
$6.0k–11.2k
Area2000 sq ft
ClimateZone 4
InsulationAverage
Occupants4
Estimate only
A quick Manual J-style estimate. For new construction, commercial, or complex layouts, run a full ACCA Manual J before quoting equipment — oversizing short-cycles and won't dehumidify.
cooling = area × zone × insul × volume × window + occupants
tons = cooling BTU ÷ 12,000, rounded up to ½ ton
cost ≈ tons × $1,500–$2,800 installed
Field notes

What drives the load.

01

Climate zone

Sets the base heating and cooling requirement per square foot. A Phoenix cooling load and a Minneapolis heating load are worlds apart for the same house.
02

Insulation

A poorly insulated home can need 30–40% more capacity. Sealed ducts and good insulation cut it the other way.
03

Windows

Large or west-facing glass adds real solar heat gain in the afternoon — the single most underestimated cooling driver on a remodel.
04

Occupants

Each person past the first two adds roughly 400 BTU of sensible + latent heat. Full houses and home gyms push the cooling side up.

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