Building code requires heating and cooling equipment be sized and
selected according to
ACCA standards
or equivalent approved methods. While in practice this is often not
enforced, and few installing contractors bother, doing so can save
thousands on equipment costs and even more on operating expenses over
the lifespan of a system.
When a proper load calculation isn't done the equipment that gets
installed typically ends up being oversized, often grossly so. The
result is inefficient operation and a less comfortable home. With modern
heat pumps, oversizing can decrease or completely eliminate the benefits
of having an inverter-based system, leading to very high electric bills
and equipment that can't do what it's supposed to be good at.
Vestal Energy's ACCA certified HVAC design services can include any
combination of the below, as appropriate to the project.
Manual J is the industry standard for sizing heating and
cooling equipment. It calculates an home's heat gain and loss based
on actual construction details and local climate conditions.
Manual S is the procedure for selecting appropriate equipment
to meet the Manual J requirements.
Manual D is the industry standard for designing residential
duct systems.
Air to Water Heat Pumps
As heat pumps become more widespread and the push to decarbonize
increases, many wonder if there are solutions for in-floor radiant
systems, or perhaps even traditional radiators. The answer is YES to
the first, and a qualified yes to the second.
There are now at least a dozen companies selling air-to-water systems
in the US that can be used for radiant floors, with more on the way.
The equipment performs very well even in the cold New England climate,
and installation is no more complicated than a traditional
boiler-based system.
New construction can also use the same equipment to run in-room
hydronic convectors (sometimes called fan coils). These are similar to
traditional radiators, but with an added fan. They can be used for
both heating and cooling, and allow individual temperature control for
each room. With some effort they can be retrofit into existing homes
as well.
While it is possible to use an air-to-water system with existing
baseboard radiators, most homes don't have enough radiator length to
make up for the lower water temperature a heat pump provides. Single
pipe steam radiators can't be converted at all.
Hydronic heat exchangers can be used in ducted systems too, either in
place of or in addition to a radiant floor.
Installation
Vestal Energy is a Mass Save HPIN contractor and offers some heat pump
installation services, including rebates, but availability is limited.
