187 PDF

A SunCam online continuing education course
Heat Loss and Gain for a House

by
Peter J. Tavino Jr. PE
Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

A professional engineer should understand how to calculate heat loss and gain from a
house, because this knowledge:
* Allows better control of indoor temperature and humidity comfort levels.
* Provides a cost savings opportunity for prioritized insulation and caulking activity.
* May lead to room by room zone register control.
* Maximizes usefulness of smart phone thermostat operation.
* Sets forth the proper retrofit replacement of older, inefficient equipment.
* Confirms that engineers are aware of common processes that surround us.
The method to calculate how heat moves into and out of a house is straightforward. Heat
transfer always occurs from a region of high temperature to another region of lower temperature.
In winter, heat moves out of the house (heat loss) and in summer, heat moves into the house
(heat gain), and these two design load totals are what we seek. The completed building structure
is divided into the components that lose and gain heat. These include:
Walls
Floors
Ceilings
Infiltration
Windows
Doors
Each of these component loads is added up, to arrive at a total block load for a zone in a
house. Loads are always measured in British Thermal Units per Hour (BTUH). 12,000 BTUH =
one air conditioning (or heating) ton of load. If windows lose 6400 BTUH and the ceiling loses
5600 BTUH, together they lose one ton of heat at design temperatures. BTUH is an Acronym
used frequently. All Acronyms are defined on the last page of this course. Add in the other loss
components for the total load to that zone, such as shown below. The simplified Excel
spreadsheet we use automatically totals these component loads. One does not need Excel
knowledge to run this easy program. Sample Totals:
Heating BTUH
Cooling BTUH
21,661
14,820
Although heat enters and leaves a building in three ways: Conduction, Convection and
Radiation, the focus is on Conduction, with Heat in BTUH
= Area x Temperature Difference
Thermal Resistance (also known as Insulation R values)
Heat Transfer by Convection, such as physical air escaping through cracks is converted to
an infiltration BTUH for use with the Conduction calculations. Radiation from the sun is also
accommodated in the window fenestration worksheets, and is not a concern. The American
Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) publish the
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Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE
Page 2 of 38

fundamentals of these processes, which are in common use for residential and commercial
buildings (not covered here).
The most thorough engineering way to perform this work is to purchase manuals and
software and take appropriate training to perform accurate calculations routinely. But without
investing fees, the professional engineer can use his or her building knowledge experience, and
download the free abridged edition of Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA)
Manual J ae Excel Spreadsheet, to perform an analysis that is close enough to the unabridged
version for sizing equipment to the nearest ton or half ton. These manuals and software were
written and developed by Hank Rutkowski, P.E. Download the Speedsheet Spreadsheet for free
now to get the most out of this SUNCAM course: www.acca.org/standards/acca-speed-sheets/
(One can pass the test without downloading it, but that is inefficient use of ones time.)
By the end of this course, you will be skilled enough to figure your own house. I have
had success with many happy clients and building inspector officials, who accept the Manual J
ae spreadsheet result as satisfactory for determining the heat transfer behavior of their existing
home. Instead of toggling between windows, use a second tablet or pc monitor, to see the
spreadsheet as we progress through this course. Another helpful hint is to print out the acronyms
at the end of the course for easy reference.
The ae use is mainly for existing homes with existing duct work and or radiators. To
design new duct work, one should use the full Manual J, (and Manual D). The Room by Room
Cells to the right will not be addressed, as zone totals only will be, for ae overall zone use. Use
the full unabridged edition also for unusual circumstances, such as entire walls of glass, where
there is not Adequate Exposure Diversity (AED). There is a check list page of 26 caveats on
when not to use the abridged version, and purchasing the paper manual ae becomes a necessity
as you progress, but the engineer is expected to use common sense, and feel comfortable with the
calculations performed. If only Heating or only Cooling loads are sought, focus on them, but
note that the adjacent column values do not apply. For older radiators with high plumbing water
source temperatures near older uninsulated exterior walls, account for winter heat loss there with
modified insulation or temperature difference input. For cooling only, emphasize window
insulation properties and roof overhang shading.
The purpose of this SUNCAM continuing education course is to familiarize the engineer
with ACCA J principles, not as a short cut to providing inexact client services promoted as
complete. Although multiple zones are cautioned, for a two floor house, each served by
separate ductwork systems, run a Manual J ae for each floor. An example of a first floor plan
and its calculations will be provided in this course. Again, common sense will prevail.
Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) companies, who run load
calculations for every job, use ACCA approved software they purchased, such as Wrightsoft,
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Elite, ADTEC, NITEK, and the Florida Solar Energy Center. Your goal should be to start with
the free ACCA J ae, and eventually invest in time saving programs that are more sophisticated,
because they can take your AutoCAD drawing data and figure panel areas for you. For serious
work, the full Manual J would be easier to defend in court than the simplified ae. The full
ACCA Manual J is 556 pages long and can be purchased at the ACCA on line store.
http://www.acca.org/standards/technical-manuals/
Manual J ae is 258 pages long and available at Amazon, etc., and not through ACCA.
But with an understanding of the concepts presented here, a Professional Engineer should be
capable of completing an ACCA J ae spreadsheet, without having to fill up an on-line shopping
cart, and by relying on references and note information within the spreadsheet itself.
Left, 258 page Manual J ae
abridged edition book
Center, Typical one page
printout of Manual J ae
spreadsheet with Block
Load total Heating Loss
and Gain
Right, full 556 page
Manual J Load Calculation
book
Instead of just replacing an old air conditioner or heat pump with a similar tonnage size,
this analysis results in equipment that is more accurately sized for its rated heating and cooling
capacity. The bottom line for these spreadsheet additive loads is to achieve design heating and
cooling loads that can be used to select proper heating and cooling capacity equipment.
Even if equipment is not replaced, analyzing an existing house can give the owner the
knowledge to save in certain areas. Perhaps window coverings and solar shading will save
significant air conditioning load in summer, with accurate BTUH (BTU per hour) as measured.
Perhaps ducts that are not well insulated in a hot attic can be shown quantitatively to justify
blowing more insulation around them. Infiltration losses for a leaky home can be expressed as a
percentage of the total heating or cooling bill to show the benefits of caulking.
This course will start with an overview of how to use the downloaded Manual J ae
spreadsheet. Header information, finding the nearest climate city and entering the designer name
and address are reviewed.
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Next we discuss how to use building plans, elevations and insulation details needed for
measuring net areas that must be input into the program. One may measure these on the job, or
use accurate plans if available. Discussion of each of the 16 load components such as windows,
doors, and walls, etc. will follow (16 = 11 Sensible Loads + 5 Latent Loads). Results and
examples will be reviewed, and typical heating and cooling equipment capacity tonnage will be
selected based on total combined loads (the block load) determined to be imposed on the
equipment. Please open your Manual J ae program and explore it in overview first. If you print
it out, it will appear like the one in the photograph above between the two Manual J text books.
We will examine its features next. The completed sheet appears on the last pages of this course.
Special thanks to ACCA for providing this useful tool for free.
They have offices on the third floor of this beautiful Arlington, VA high rise office building.
Please visit www.ACCA.org and consider joining as a member.
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Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet ACCA J ae Overview

One need not have the latest version of Microsoft Office or Excel, because even
Microsoft Excel 97 works well. Open the program to see the Home Page represented by the
first bottom tab on the left. After viewing the Home Sheet, spend a few moments on the next
Tabs Read Me Sheet, seeing the caveats mentioned above, as part of a discussion on
Capabilities and Sensitivities.
The 14 Bottom Tabs from left to right are:
Home
Read
Me
J1
Form
Summary
Glass
Schedule
Doors
Glass
Walls
Ceilings
Floors
Help
Notes
What
to do
next
Insert
Work
sheet
Click on the third bottom Tab for the very important J1 Form.
J1 Form Header Information

FORM J1AE ABRIDGED VERSION of MANUAL J, 8TH EDITION
Project
Tavino first floor
Design State & City
Connecticut
Waterbury
Indoor Design Heating db
70
@ Outdoor (Winter) 99% db
HTD
68
Indoor Design Cooling db
75
@ Outdoor (Summer) 1% db
85
CTD
10
Indoor Design Cooling RH
50%
Grains Difference
29
Daily Range
Elevation
850
ACF
Latitude
41
Medium
0.978
Block Load
Header Portion at the top of Form J1

(Images only. Not a live Excel. Refer to your downloaded spreadsheet for your input exercises.)
The colors of the cells on the J1 form are important, and are listed here for reference.
White
Green
Blue
Yellow
Orange
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User input cells

Fixed text cells
Output from formula
Dropdown or look up cells
Subtotal cells
Page 6 of 38

Grey
Not Applicable
Determining the Indoor versus Outdoor Temperature Difference:

At the top of the J1 spreadsheet is the Header as shown above. In the first white user
input cell, enter the project name (Tavino first floor). For design State & City, it is important to
place your mouse to the right of the white cell shown above as the word Connecticut, to open a
drop down box that allows you to click on your state. Or, type it in. Do the same for the nearest
city. Once you select the city and state, the outdoor winter dry bulb temperature and other
geographic data will appear. Notice that it is 2 degrees Fahrenheit for winter design condition
and 85F for summer design near Waterbury, CT. What is it for the city or weather station
closest to you? If you are located between cities, examine the outdoor design temperatures for
them both. In heating dominant climates up north, engineers may wish to design conservatively,
and select the more northerly or colder climate. Below the Mason Dixon line where air
conditioning loads are most important, they select the warmer city climate to be conservative.
But being conservative and adding factors of safety are not prudent for heat loss and gain
calculations. This analysis is not like designing a bridge beam, where a little more steel will not
hurt. Accuracy is important. Overestimating heat loss or gain load can cause selection of
uncomfortably oversized cooling equipment, which satisfies the thermostat temperature request
before properly removing humidification, because of short cycling. Overestimating can also
make projected operating fuel or electricity annual energy costs inaccurate, leading to improper
decisions by the homeowner.
Another alternative, since the input box is white, is to override the city climate and enter
the average temperature between them.
For example, if we were calculating heat loss for a home in Bristol, CT (where Sports
Network ESPN is headquartered) we might enter 4F as the average between Waterbury at 2F
and Hartford at 6F. Remember that white cells are unprotected to allow user input. If a local
code must be used instead, it can be easily input here. The outdoor summer design temperature
would also change to 86.5F, rounded to 87F. Only a few hours per year should exceed design
temperature, and the thermal storage properties of the house will retain heat or coolness for these
short durations.
Project
ESPN residence
Design State & City
Connecticut
Bristol
70
HTD
66
75
87
CTD
12
50%
Grains Difference
36
Daily Range
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Medium

Indoor design heating temperature defaults to 70F, but may be changed, if owner so
desires. (I have never changed this because home ownership does transfer.) Air conditioning
Indoor design cooling defaults to 75F.
The Heating Temperature Difference (HTD) = Delta T = T is thus 70-2 = 68F for
winter heat loss calculations near Waterbury. The Cooling Temperature Difference (CTD) =
87-75= 10F. For warmer Bristol, HTD is 66. CTD is 12. HTD and CTD Heating and Cooling
Temperature Differences are automatically adjusted, depending on input to the white cells in the
blue output from formula cells. The program will use these Ts to calculate BTUH results
later.
To complete the Header information, we see the desired Indoor Design Cooling Relative
Humidity (RH) is 50% default. This could be changed to 45% or 55%, but why override if
unnecessary? Grains are a measure of the moisture in a pound of air that is related to the RH.
The Climate data also reports for informational purposes the Daily Range (DR), which is the
average difference between the daily high and low temperatures, Medium for Waterbury.
These settings relate to
psychometric equations
for comfort.
In winter we strive for
more humidity indoors
and in summer, less to
maximize comfort.
The author believes
there should be a law
that winter indoor
Relative Humidity
(RH) should not be
permitted below 22%,
to solve countless sinus
and respiratory health
issues.
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This indoor Humidity Monitor,
available at any hardware store,
shows a very comfortable 47% RH
at 73F.
Humidity is related to Latent Load
in BTUH, calculated for Cooling at
the bottom of the J1 ae spreadsheet
form.
Sensible Load + Latent Load =
Total Cooling Load.
The fifth line in the J1 form:
Latitude
41
Elevation
850
ACF
Continuing with the Header, Latitude is important for the directional angle, with which
the sun shines on the windows. The Altitude Correction Factor (ACF) is automatically
calculated for pressure differences above sea level. Waterbury at Elevation 850 above sea level
corrects by 1.0 - 0.978 = 2.2%. Not a concern here, but significant for Denver, CO. Latitude is
shown for verification that the City is correct. The last clarification for the Header is that dry
bulb temperatures are recorded by thermometer bulbs that are in the shade, dry and uncovered.
Note that the Header table stays fixed as one scrolls through the heat loss and gain
components below, as addressed next.
Because Glass Windows are very important and fenestration is complicated, with
multiple sub work sheets, this course skips to Doors for the introduction of how to enter door
data into the worksheet and thus into form J1.
Line 7 Wood and Metal Doors

These doors of course always refer to exterior doors, or doors to unheated basements,
garages and attics. An interior, uninsulated Lauan door for instance, accessing another
conditioned room space in a different zone would not be studied, because Delta T is zero from
one inside space to another. An inferior Lauan door connected to an unheated garage would be
studied though, and its low insulation R-Value would be input. Here is the initial worksheet.
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0.978

Table 4A -- Construction Number 11 -- Wood and Metal Doors

Construction Number; Door Type; Core Insulation
U-Value
Population Instructions for Wood and Metal Doors

1) Input values are entered in the white cells (as requested by column headings; notes provide additional guidance).
2) Input values for wood and metal doors are extracted from Table 4A (Construction #11) in the printed MJ8ae book.
* Construction attributes are extracted from plans or by site inspection.
* You can enter up to 6 different door types (construction number 11A and 11B).
* For example:
11N, Metal, Polystyrene Core
U-Value
0.350
Notes
Door Glass
* Ignore door glass if the glass area is less than 51 percent of the door area.
* Classify as a French door (under the "Glass" tab if the glass area exceeds
50 percent of the door area.
The form starts like this above, but evolves as you save information into your template
version to save time on future projects.
Table 4A refers to the Manual J and Manual J ae Table with printed information on
insulation values for opaque panels including doors without a majority of glass. Construction
Number 11 Wood and Metal Doors refers to specific doors with known R or its reciprocal U
value U = 1/R. R is for (thermal) Resistance and U is for (thermal) Conductance of panels.
In the software is one example, 11N, Metal, Polystyrene Core, with a U-Value of 0.350 =
R 2.9. The manual lists 9 wood doors and 8 metal doors ranging from U = 0.26 to 0.54 for wood
and 0.17 to 0.60 for metal. If one knows the R value of the door from the manufacturer, or
online research, enter its description and U-Value on the top line. If an existing house shows no
easy sign of this data, choose a description and U-Value consistent with what can be observed.
Perhaps it is a Fiberglas Core at 0.60 or Fiberglas Core with Storm Door at 0.36. For our
example, because it is unknown, from best visual, non-destructive testing inspection, select a
solid core wood door at U = 0.40, i.e. R = 2.5. From the Floor Plan, there is one door to the
garage, one to the basement plus the front door, with all three of the same construction. The
direction they face: North, South, East or West does not matter. Be careful not to spend too
much time focusing on R value for doors, which have only a small percentage of the wall, ceiling
and floor square footage.
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Table 4A -- Construction Number 11 -- Wood and Metal Doors
U-Value
Solid core wood doors, R = 2.5
0.400
Exit the Door Worksheet, by hitting the J1 tab at the bottom left. There is no need to
save each worksheet. But do save your entire spreadsheet as you exit the program.
______________________________________________________________________________
On the J1 form, line 7a, the yellow drop down tab transfers the Door worksheet
description just typed in Solid core wood doors R = 2.5, as the construction detail, which the
Client will see in simple terms without unnecessary Table references from the unavailable
Manual J. Typing in the R = 2.5 also gives the Client/Reviewer the important information on the
door insulation characteristic in the one page final printout.
Wood &
Metal
Doors
Heating
Cooling
Construction Detail
HTM
HTM
27.20
Note that the program immediately assigns Heating - Heat Transfer Multiplier (HTM) as
27.20 BTUH/square foot and Cooling HTM @8.40 because Climate Data previously entered
gives Delta T, and because U values are known too, from the door worksheet. The total BTUH
will be known once the square footage for the doors is input.
Use the best floor plan available, sometimes in the Local Tax Assessors office, because
they measure square feet and prepare a plan for property tax. For this SUNCAM course we will
use a rough AutoCAD drawing showing important features with extraneous information that will
be typical. From the plan below, there is one door to the garage and one to the basement each
with rough opening 3 x 6.9= 21 square feet, and the front door is 5 x 6.9 = 35 square feet.
Overall dimensions not easily seen in the image below are: 32 wide by 50.5 long, with
floor area = 1616 36 in northeast corner + breakfast nook = 20 = 1600 square feet. The plan
does not show window heights that would have to be measured. Use the copy of this plan
repeated on the last page of this course, for reference throughout.
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8.40

The sliding glass door will be figured in the glass window calculations. Doors if any to
the second floor would not be considered because the second floor is conditioned too, whether
that floor is insulated against the first floor or not. On the J1 form, enter 21 + 21+ 35 = 77 sq.
feet of total door Net Area in the white cell.
7 Wood &
Metal
Doors
Heating
Cooling
Net
Heating
Cooling
Net
HTM
HTM
Area
BTUH
BTUH
Area
27.20
8.40
77
2094
647
The small font sizes above are necessary to fit the entire line on this page. Use control & scroll
or other zooming tools to read such small print that should match numbers on your separate
Manual J ae spreadsheet.
This provides all the information the program needs to now determine BTUH Heating
Loss of 2094 and Cooling Gain of 647 for the Doors Component.
One tip is to use the floor plan as a handwritten worksheet to write total areas in the
margins so that the one drawing contains area measurements if they must be checked.
Doors: 21+21+35 =77.
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77

Next, we examine Windows and Glass Doors instead of Walls. We cannot compute net
wall area until we determine how much window and door area to subtract.
Line 6A Windows and Glass Doors

Glass worksheet
Before populating the glass areas on the J1 form there are two successive worksheets that
must be completed first, the seventh tab at the bottom: Glass and then the fifth tab, Glass
Sched(ule). So there are 3 work sheets total, including the J1 form. The Glass worksheet offers
two examples, for Single Pane with a Storm window (R = 1.15) and double pane (R = 1.22)
Table 2A/3A -- Construction Numbers 1 through 7 & 10 -- Vertical Glass Heat Loss
Enter Construction Number, Glass Type, # Panes, Sash Type, Frame Type, Shading
Heating
U-Value
NE/NW
Cooling HTM
E/W
SE/SW
Construction Number; Glass Type; Number of Panes; Type of Sash; Type of Frame
1C-cm, Clear, Single Pane / Storm, Operable, Metal no Break
Construction Number; Glass Type; Number of Panes; Type of Sash
8Bc-4, Flat Clear, Double Pane, Wood
U-Value
0.870
U-Value
0.940
It is important for the engineer to figure the closest reasonable insulative value for the
window fenestration assemblies. For triple pane, average U = 0.50 (0.18 best to 0.72 worst). For
an unknown double pane, with operable window or sliding glass door, average U = 0.65 (0.49 to
0.87). Types of frames that might provide a short circuit for heat transmission should have
higher U and lower R values. Single pane can be 1.27, so there is quite a range for unknown
properties. If the manual is unavailable, try an internet search if the manufacturer is known.
Default U values for single pane = 0.98, double pane = 0.56, triple pane = 0.42.
Low-e (emissivity) glass has a metal-oxide coating on a glazing face. For northern
climates it is on the inside of a double pane window at the Argon gas enclosure, to keep the heat
in. Down south, the coating is on the outer layer to keep the heat out by reducing solar radiation.
If unknown except that low-e is properly applied, reduce the U value.
For double pane with low-e in our example, use a U = 0.45.
The table below in the Glass worksheet gives the Heat Transfer Multiplier (HTM) based
on window direction. This affects cooling load only and not heating loss calculations.
Obviously there is more cooling load from the radiant sun on windows facing east or west than
north, or even directly south, and the HTM accounts for it.
Glass Type; Number of Panes; Type of Internal Shade; Rounded CTD
Double Pane; Clear; Horiz. Blinds @ 45 Deg; 15
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N
13
NE/NW
30
E/W
43
SE/SW
37
Page 13 of 38
S
21

Types of window coverings an interior designer selects may not be known, but some
shading is prudent. Here, vertical or horizontal blinds, with slats at 45 degree angle are used.
The default is for Double Pane. Because our example is using double pane with Low-e, we can
lower the directional HTM for the Waterbury CTD of 10, as typed into the Glass worksheet for
automatic transfer to the J1 form as shown:
Heating
U-Value
0.450
Table 2A/3A -- Construction Numbers 1 through 7 & 10 -- Vertical Glass Heat Loss
Enter Construction Number, Glass Type, # Panes, Sash Type, Frame Type, Shading
Unknown brand, double pane low-e, with shading blinds. R=2.2
N
9
NE/NW
24
Cooling HTM
E/W
SE/SW
35
30
S
16
We would raise them all if U= 1.0 single pane and CTD = 15, (not 10) to: N21, 41, 56, 49
S30. If a neighboring building or large trees provide shading, reduce the HTM from that
direction (but do not cut the trees). Be sure to enter reasonable if not exact HTMs. There is no
difference between East and West windows in the Program, (although peak temperature should
occur during the afternoon, when the sun shines through West facing windows.)
For unknown double pane windows, keeping the program defaults is prudent without
Table 3A adjustments available, or interpolate off these values above, as shown. Do not confuse
vertical window HTMs or CTDs with skylight values that can be ten times higher as shown in
the following pages. For more information refer to the National Fenestration Rating Council
(NFRC). This example as in most cases is for one type of glass throughout the zone. If some
have storm windows and some do not, add each type in on the lines provided.
With the vertical glass characteristics complete on the Glass worksheet, we work next on
the Glass Sched (ule) worksheet before transferring all data to the J 1 form.
Glass Schedule
VERTICAL GLASS
X (Ft.)
Heating
Table 2A Construction Numbers and Details
that Apply to this Load Estimate
Top of
Opening to
Overhang
Y (Ft)
Adjustment for
Projected Window
or French Door
Clg
HTM
Adjustment
#1
None
None
#2
None
None
#3
None
None
Direction
Glass
Faces
Height of
opening
H (Ft)
Overhang
Distance
X (Ft)
#4
None
None
#5
None
None
#6
None
None
#7
None
None
#8
None
None
#9
None
None
#10
None
None
#11
None
None
#12
None
None
The Glass schedule allows adjustment to sunshine entering a window because of the
shading roof overhang above, per the diagram. In our example on the first floor of a two story
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Y (FT.)
H (Ft.)

house, there is no impact because dimension Y = 10. If it were the second story Y = 1 and X =
2, Cooling HTM would decrease.
To complete the Glass Sched form, bring in Glass information with drop down box from
the yellow cells. Type in numerical feet values for H, X and Y in the white cells. If there are
different glass types, account for them all here. If most windows average 5, a few that are 4 or
6 need not be accounted, or may be itemized separately. Convention again is to use the rough
opening, although that is greater than the glass height itself. There are no North facing windows
in our example plan.
VERTICAL GLASS
Heating
Direction
Glass
Faces
Height of
opening
H (Ft)
Overhang
Distance
X (Ft)
Top of
Opening to
Overhang
Y (Ft)
Adjustment for
Projected Window
or French Door
Clg
HTM
Adjustment
#1
5.00
2.00
10.00
None
None
#2
E/W
5.00
2.00
10.00
None
None
J1 Form.
Opening J1 shows us the window information from the schedule has been automatically
transferred to the blue Output From Formula cells.
6A Windows
& Glass
Glass
Heating
Direction
Construction Detail
HTM
HTM
30.60
16.00
E/W
30.60
35.00
Doors
The Construction Detail is as was typed in. Heating and Cooling HTMs were figured,
and the form awaits input of how many square feet of window and glass doors there are in each
direction. These areas are added up from the floor plan and elevation plan or window schedule
or field measurement.
The South window 5 h x 3 wide has area = 15. There are six East or West windows @
15sf = 90. Kitchen 4h x 5w = 20 and slider = 41sf. Total = 151 sq. ft. Enter in white cells.
Heating
Cooling
Net
BTUH
BTUH
Area
459
240
15
4621
5285
151
Note that 15 sq. ft. of South facing glass yields 240 Cooling BTUH = 16 HTM x 15 sq. ft.
The East West facing glass yields 5285 BTUH = 35 HTM x 151 sq. ft. or about twice the
load per square foot. There was no HTM adjustment for roof overhang shading 10 above as
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Cooling
Page 15 of 38

predicted. Almost half a ton of air conditioning is needed for first floor windows alone. This
concludes the vertical glass component of the calculations.
6B Skylights
Skylights similarly are input first on the Glass worksheet, and then on the Glass Sched for
transfer to J1. From Glass:
Table 2A/3A -- Construction Numbers 8 & 9 -- Skylight Heat Loss
Enter Construction Number, Glass Type, # Panes, Sash Type
Heating
U-Value
NE/NW
Cooling HTM
E/W
SE/SW
Note how much higher the HTMs are for Skylights than glass in the example.
Glass Type; Number of Panes; Tilt Angle; Rounded CTD
Double Pane, Clear, 30 Deg; 15
N
142
NE/NW
156
E/W
167
SE/SW
162
S
150
These given values are for a 30 degree sloped roof as average. If steeper at 6o degrees, N
= 101. If horizontal, N = 148 as do all directions. For single pane, 142 increases to 166. For
triple pane it decreases to 128. So interpolations can be used if Table 3C is unavailable, or if
exact skylight construction is unknown.
There are no skylights in the first floor example, (but for illustrative purposes we can
pretend there is to see how it is input.) Copy and paste the description for the Double Pane
Clear, 30 Degree: 15CTD and Cooling HTM values into the table above. Enter U = 0.90.
Table 2A/3A -- Construction Numbers 8 & 9 -- Skylight Heat Loss
Enter Construction Number, Glass Type, # Panes, Sash Type
Heating
U-Value
0.90
N
142
NE/NW
156
Cooling HTM
E/W
SE/SW
167
162
S
150
From the Glass Sched:

SKYLIGHTS
Heating
Direction
Glass
Faces
#1
#2
We use the yellow drop down arrow to select the skylight, which we will say faces North.
SKYLIGHTS
#
#1
Heating
Direction
Glass
Faces
N
This completes the Glass Sched.

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Back to the J1 form that has been populated with all Skylight data, except rough opening
area.
N
6B Skylights
Heating
Cooling
Construction Detail
HTM
HTM
61.20
142
Enter a 2-6 x 4 long Skylight for area = 10 sq. ft.

Heating
Cooling
Net
BTUH
BTUH
Area
Result is 1420 BTUH in cooling for 142 HTM x 10 sq. ft.

Skylights with a light shaft and or curb are more complicated for Manual J ae. Obtain the
U- value for the entire assembly in such cases. The Skylight data are removed from the J1 form
to not impact totals for the first floor.
612
1420
10
Line 8. Above Grade Walls

Open the eighth bottom tab Walls worksheet.
Above Grade
Table 4A -- Constructions 12, 13 & 15 -- Above Grade Walls
Construction Number; Wall Type; Board R-Value; Cavity R-Value, Exterior Finish
U-Value
Group
U-Value
PTDH
Shaded
Wall
No
No
Partitions
Table 4A -- Constructions 12 & 13 -- Partitions
Construction Number; Wall Type; Board R-Value; Cavity R-Value, Finish
PTDC
Below Grade
Table 4A -- Construction Number 15 -- Below Grade Walls
Construction Number; Wall Type; Board R-Value; Cavity R-Value, Floor Depth
U-Value
The first floor plan example will involve Above Grade walls, some Partition wall to the
unconditioned basement, and some Below Grade wall area adjacent to the basement stairs.
Wall examples require U-Value. The Group Listing is for cooling reference issue only,
not heating. Doors, Ceilings and Floors do not have a Group number. If Table 4A is
unavailable, use Group I for R-13 2 x 4 walls or Group J for R-19 2 x 6 walls.
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Construction Number; Wall Type; Board R; Cavity R, Exterior Finish
U-Value
Group
Shaded Wall
12B-0bw, Frame, R0 board, R11 cavity, Brick
0.097
H
No
13C-2oc, OC Block, R2 Board, R13 Cavity, Any finish, Car port
0.075
I
Yes
15A-11-0ocw-6, OC Block + studs, R2 board, R11 cavity, Above grade area
0.103
H
No
4) You can enter up to 5 different partition walls (construction numbers 12 and 13).
* The construction number and U-value are extracted from Table 4A.
* Values for PTDH and PTDC are obtained from Table 4C or by personnel observations or experience (leave PTDC blank for heating-only).
* For example, partition wall for garage 1 (see Table 4C): 99% db = 20 F & room = 70 F; 1% drybulb = 100 F, high daily range & room = 75 F
Construction Number; Wall Type; Board R; Cavity R, Finish
U-Value
PTDH
SE/SW
12B-0bw, Frame, R0 board, R11 cavity, Brick
0.097
50
37
5) You can enter up to 5 different below grade walls (construction number 15).
* The construction number and U-value are extracted from Table 4A.
* For example:
Construction Number; Wall Type; Board R; Cavity R, Basement floor depth
U-Value
15A-11-0ocw-6, OC Block + studs, R2 board, R11 cavity, 6 feet
0.046
Above Grade Wall:

Use 2 x 6 R-19 wall assemblies including air films. The garage is considered
uninsulated and at outside air temperature, although shading the border exterior wall, so both
types of wall are entered:
Table 4A -- Constructions 12, 13 & 15 -- Above Grade Walls
Construction Number; Wall Type; Board R-Value; Cavity R-Value, Exterior Finish
2 x 6 with clap board R-19
2 x 6 R -19
U-Value
Group
0.053
0.053
J
J
Shaded
Wall
No
Yes
The building perimeter measures 165 on the outside. Inside space is 9 clear with
assumed uninsulated second floor not needed. Assume properly insulated rim joist below the first
floor. Use average height = 9.5 x 140 = 1330 sq. ft. Subtract out window and front door areas =
1330 - (166 + 35) = 1129 sq. ft. net above grade area. And garage wall = 25 x 9.5 = 238 sq. ft.
- 21 door = 217 sq. ft.
8 Above Grade Walls
Heating
Cooling
Net
Heating
Cooling
Net
Construction Detail
HTM
HTM
Area
BTUH
BTUH
Area
3.58
0.34
1129
4038
380
1129
2 x 6 R -19
3.60
0.04
217
782
217
The 2 x 6 walls lose 4038 + 792 = 4930 BTUH in heating.
Partition Wall
The 2 x 4 wall to the basement loses and gains heat, but not at the same rate as to the
outside air at design condition. See the wall on the right side of the picture below. The Partition
Temperature Difference for Heating (PTDH) is input at 70 55 (near furnace) = 15F. The
PTDC is perhaps also like the outside air temperature without solar gain = 85-75 = 10F.
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Table 4A -- Constructions 12 & 13 -- Partitions
Construction Number; Wall Type; Board R-Value; Cavity R-Value, Finish
2 x 4 to basement at stairs R-13
U-Value
PTDH
PTDC
0.077
15
10
Area along the stairs is 8 x 8.5 high = 68 sq. ft. - 21sq. ft door = 47 sq. ft. input on J1.
Construction Detail
Partition Walls
Heating
Cooling
Net
Heating
Cooling
Net
HTM
HTM
Area
BTUH
BTUH
Area
f 2 x 4 to basement at stairs R-13
1.16
0.77
41
47
Heating and Cooling loads are lower than if the HTMs were set to outside air at 2F.
Basement Below Grade Wall

Part of the conditioned space to the exterior door to the
left of the stairs going up, and as shown on the floor plan,
is exposed to the below grade ground. See that there is a
concrete wall, and partition. This small area should be
included in the first floor heat loss and gain calculation.
If this were a conditioned basement, the entire concrete
wall would be considered.
To be accurate, 8 of concrete must be above grade for
termite type protection by Building Code, so only 8.0
0.67 is below grade. And the top two feet that could have
frost are not treated as Below Grade by Manual J.
That area 2.67 x about 8 horizontal above and left of the
stairs should have been added into the upstairs wall
calculation, with a HTM based on 70 2 = 68F delta T.
Consider heat loss through the below grade portion of
the wall. Insulation is based on 10 concrete plus rigid
foam board and sheetrock. Use R = 12.
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32
41

From the Walls worksheet:
U-Value
The temperature input box to the right is greyed out. There is no opportunity to input the
temperature of the ground at say 50F versus the indoor heating temperature at 70F. The
program and a Manual J and J ae design example use Delta T or HTM = 68F, figuring heat
eventually transfers to the air above the frost! To overcome this deficiency, a high U-value must
be used. It would appear to be a program improvement to treat Below Grade walls like Partition
walls and allow PTDH input. Result:
Concrete, rigid board and sheetrock R-12
U-Value
0.083
For 2 ft. + below grade wall area = (5.33 x 3.5) + (5.5 x 6/2) = 35 sq. ft., Net Area along
left side of stairs, input to Form J.
Heating
Cooling
Net
Heating
Cooling
Net
Construction Detail
HTM
HTM
Area
BTUH
BTUH
Area
Below Grade Walls
5.64
35
198
Note that there is no air conditioning load from heat gain from a below grade wall. (OK)
But the heat loss based on outside air, not ground temperature is improper, at Heating HTM =
5.64 x 35 sq. ft. = 198 BTUH. The 5.64 = 68F / 12. 68F = 70F - 2F. 2F is air, not ground
temperature.
For a small area like this, it is not a concern, but for a finished basement, it is significant.
If HTM was 70F inside temperature - 50F outside ground temperature = 20,
HTM = 20/R12 = 1.67 x 35 sq. ft. = 58 BTUH or 58/198 = 29% of the computed load.
This 71% reduction is significant for accuracy. Ascertaining that a house is losing as
much heat through its above grade walls (exposed to wind and cold) as it is through its below
grade walls, is an issue being discussed with ACCA and pursued to make the Manual J program
better. For oversized fossil fuel heating systems, it has not been a concern, but for heat pump
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35

and Net Zero Energy and LEED homes, it needs to be addressed. More energy efficient below
grade construction should be encouraged, not discouraged by this software glitch.
So the course reader should be cautious when using Manual J or J ae for below grade
heating calculation, and make adjustments to R values as necessary. R-12 input as R-42 might
be one solution, depending on temperatures encountered. Or treat it as a partition wall, with
PTDH control, even though it is below grade.
10. Ceilings
The Ceilings worksheet also uses outside air temperature for Heating Temperature
Difference. An attic with floor insulation will be as cold as the outdoors, and can be much
warmer than the summer high temperatures. Cooling Load Temperature difference needs to be
input.
Table 4A -- Construction Numbers 16, 17 & 18 -- Ceilings
Construction Number; Type of Ceiling; R-Value; Roof Material and Roof Color
U-Value
CLTD
Although the floor plan example we are using has a second floor over the entire 1600 sq.
ft., we will exercise as if there were an unencapsulated attic above. Use R-40 for typical R-30 in
the 2 x 10 ceiling joists, plus blown in insulation to air seal above the Fiberglas, at a cost of say
$350 in materials. If rafters are spray foamed, account for the extra conditioned roof/ceiling area
and volume later.
From Table 4A, for the Waterbury CLTD of 10F, and medium daily range, choose
CLTD = 45F under a vented attic with dark shingles and no radiant barrier.
Table 4A -- Construction Numbers 16, 17 & 18 -- Ceilings
Construction Number; Type of Ceiling; R-Value; Roof Material and Roof Color
2 x 10 joists with R-40 Fiberglas and blown in Insulation
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U-Value
CLTD
0.025
45
Page 21 of 38

The J1 form has the 1600 sq. ft. entered for net area.
.
Heating
Cooling
Net
Heating
Cooling
Net
Construction Detail
HTM
HTM
Area
BTUH
BTUH
Area
10 Ceilings
2 x 10 joists with R-40 Fiberglas and blown in Insulation
1.70
1.13
1600
2720
1800
Heating BTUH would be 2720 and Cooling BTUH would be 1800. But it will be erased
from our compiled J1 form because it is not really a load. We have a conditioned second floor
above.
11. Floors
Open the tenth bottom tab for the Floors worksheet.
Table 4A -- Floors
Construction Number 19 -- Floor Over Enclosed Unconditioned Crawlspace or Basement
U-Value
PTDH
PTDC
We must input U-Value = R-19 typically, because blowing in more insulation is difficult.
Heating or cooling escaping to the basement where people enter more frequently is preferred to
heating or cooling escaping to the attic, which is seldom used in winter or summer. So insulation
with low UValue and high R-Value is critical in the attic floor or rafters. Humidity in a
basement is not covered in the Floors worksheet discussion.
Partition Temperature Difference for Heating (PTDH) and Cooling PTDC are from table
4A. Assume a cold leaky uninsulated basement, or modify PTDH for actual delta T.
For HTD = 68F, and an R-19 insulation assembly, PTDH = 53F.
For CTD = 10F, and an R-19 insulation assembly, PTDC = 7.9F.
Table 4A -- Floors
Construction Number 19 -- Floor Over Enclosed Unconditioned Crawlspace or Basement
First Floor 2 x 10 joists over unheated basement R-19
U-Value
PTDH
PTDC
0.053
53.0
7.9
Proceeding to the J-1 Form, considered a passive floor because it does not have radiant
floor coils, although it could be an exposed floor as well, we input the Floor Area = 1600 sq. ft.
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1600

.
Heating
Cooling
Net
Heating
Cooling
Net
Construction Detail
HTM
HTM
Area
BTUH
BTUH
Area
11 Passive Floors
2.81
0.42
1600
4494
670
If we were to examine the basement floor slab, the program calculation rightly
understands that no heat is lost or gained from the ground beneath the slab. But for a slab near a
walkout basement, the perimeter in feet of that exposed slab and its insulation value are input, to
correctly ascertain BTUH for heating.
This concludes the straightforward Conduction heat loss and gain building
components. The next component is the very important Infiltration calculation. From ACCA
provided graphics, here are components for heating and cooling.
Heat Loss Components -ACCA J ae Figure 1-2
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1600

Heat Gain (Cooling Design) Components -ACCA J ae Figure 1-3
12. Infiltration
ACCA depiction of winter air movement
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There is no Infiltration worksheet, only the J1 form input:
12 Infiltration
Envelope Leakage
No. of Fireplaces
Average
Heated & Cooled

Floor Area = Sq. Ft.
Above Grade = Cu. Ft.
It requests 4 input items:

Envelope Leakage, Number of Fireplaces, Conditioned Floor Area and Volume.
It is best to first complete the Floor Area, already known from line 11. From our
example, this is 1600 sq. ft.
Above Grade Volume from example = (1600 x 9.5). There is a two story entry foyer
that could get tricky. Some mixing of upstairs and downstairs air is expected, but for nearby
second floor supply and return vents, assign each floors volume to its own zone. Basement
stairs volume is not included, because it is below grade.
However, if a walkout basement were

conditioned, and studied, compute a triangle
from the bottom of exposed outside wall to the
top of the below grade wall.
For a walkout door to the right, and linear
surface grading profile, figure the area in black
times the house width equals volume.
Below grade infiltration is considered less
significant, and does not enter into the above
grade calculation, where wind and other
pressure influences impact heat loss and gain.
Fireplaces: After floor area and volume are typed in, use the yellow Number of
Fireplaces dropdown box to show how many fireplaces are in the zone. The chimney riser from
the combustion boiler below the Mudroom on our floor plan might be losing substantial heat in
the 2 building code air gap between masonry and Douglas fir. While historic older buildings
used the masonry for structural support, new building and fire codes specify separation. Poorly
insulated and leaky walls surrounding this chimney can lose much heat, as air travels up this
corridor. It is difficult to retrofit through finished sheetrock with Great Stuff type foam spray or
ordinary caulk, and special high temperature sealant products may be required. When Energy
Auditors search for air leakage in a house, they zero in on attic hatchways and fireplaces.
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Choose 2 fireplaces for this example. If studying a second floor with a fireplace below, check if
the chimney passage merits listing as a high infiltration loss fireplace.
Envelope Leakage. This is the most discussed item between an ACCA J ae Engineer
and the Homeowner. Five options are available from the yellow drop box choices. The house
zone is either: Tight, Semi-Tight, Average, Semi-Loose or Loose. A LEED or Net Zero Energy
house will always be considered Tight.
If future insulation improvements
such as attic insulation or storm window
addition will be made, the input may be
entered for the next best category,
raising an Average house to a SemiTight house for instance.
Blown in insulation, Styrofoam rafter
vents and spray foam at those vents
The official designation between the five categories is based on Air Changes per Hour
(ACH). ASHRAE 62 recommends 0.35 air changes per hour for mechanical ventilation. By
having a simple visual inspection, it is difficult to ascertain ACH. The most common method is
to conduct a Blower Door Test as fully explained in the SUNCAM Energy Audit of an Existing
House Course. One would convert the pressure at -50 Pascals to ACH depending on climate and
number of house stories and other factors.
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Blower Door Test. Both page

Images are from SUNCAM
Energy Audit Course 055.
The door test was conducted at
the 5 wide front door for the
Tavino house floor plan in our
example.
Results in CFM50 allow
calculation of a minimum Building
Airflow Standard, depending on
geography, number of stories and
occupants.
Conversion
There is no simple conversion of Blower Door results to ACH, (and there should be).
Natural air changes per hour at the rate of 1/20th the air leakage at 50 Pascals. The Building
Performance Institute specification example shows that 0.71 CFM50 per square foot (1570/2200)
would mean mechanical ventilation must be recommended for safe Indoor Air Quality. 70% of
that = 50% of CFM50 per square foot would require mechanical ventilation. If our 1600 sq. ft.
example had a Blower Door result of 71% = 1136, it would be so tight that it should have more
infiltration, usually from an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV). If CFM50 were 800, it would be
a requirement. Such a house would be categorized as Tight. Whether there is an ERV or not
does not affect Manual J ae loads, because when operating properly, BTUH is not increased with
an ERV. An ERV that uses only 50 watts of electricity is not a bad investment.
The ACCA definition of Tightness Category shown in Table 5B of the paper manual
depends on many factors such as floor square foot range and whether it is for heating or cooling.
Generally for the 1600 sq. ft. example, cooling ACH is 0.50 for Loose and 0.08 for tight.
Heating ACHs are about double at 0.91 and 0.15. But obtaining ACH requires conversion from
Blower door tested.
In our state, we require a CFM50 rate of 1.0 per floor sq. ft., for certain efficiency rebates.
The electric company will not rebate for a heat pump in a leaky house. The example plan of
1600 sq. ft. floor area would need a Blower Door result of 1600 CFM50. Energy Auditing
Improvement Contractors usually test at say 1900 and then caulk and weather strip and retest to
1600 for the rebate. Sometimes, they cannot seal enough to reach the required level, and more
extensive insulating is needed. For a house door testing at the required 1.0 level, and good attic
insulation preventing upward leakage, the authors experience is to consider it Semi-Tight.
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Be careful not to mix up CFM50 per square foot of floor area with CFM50 per square foot
of envelope area that includes walls and ceilings and is different by a factor of three or so!
The Engineer must use subjective judgment in assigning this Construction type Category,
especially in the absence of a Blower Door test. Compare the house being studied to houses
nationwide. Consider the entire Envelope Leakage Area (ELA). Consider exhaust fans and
range hoods, recessed lighting canisters, door opening traffic during design condition days, etc.
Use your best judgment.
Here are the rather dramatic heat load effects of choosing one Leakage Category over
another for the example plan:
Construction Category
Tight
Semi-Tight
Average
Semi-Loose
Loose
Heating BTUH
2593
6717
9963
14877
19644
Cooling BTUH
191
381
545
844
1144
Average with one

not 2 fireplaces
8501
545
So there is a seven fold difference in heating loss load between Tight and Loose for this
condition. And the second fireplace contributes 9963 - 8501 = 1462 BTUH.
Knowing that there is blown in insulation and good Tyvek and energy audit caulking
performed, a value of Semi-Tight is used for our example.
12 Infiltration
Envelope Leakage
Semi-Tight
No. of Fireplaces
Heated & Cooled

1600
Heating
Cooling
BTUH
BTUH
15200
6717
As seen in the table above, 6717 BTUH, (over half a ton) is lost in the Semi-Tight 1600
sq. ft. floor plan example.
Cooling losses are not as significant. If the State and City were changed to Florida and
Fort Lauderdale, Heating BTUH would be 2021 and Cooling BTUH would be 585. For
Southern Climates, an insulated attic makes sense. A report that over 3/4 of US houses have air
conditioning must mean that the percentage is even higher in the South. While heat rises (Is it 3
degrees from floor to ceiling stratification, with no other ventilation as some claim?) allowing
conditioned air to escape through the attic is costly. Giant Exhaust fans that suck up cool air
through bad ceilings and attic hatchways are inefficient overall. Indoor Fans can achieve some
comfort, but would not remove humidity as a condensate pan under an air handler would.
Ceiling fans might have benefit in houses without ducts that should be circulating air more
efficiently and comfortably. If Ridge Vents are not working properly, consider gable end
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381

louvers, or even a solar fan for mild attic exhaust. As always, balance Infiltration Tightness with
superior Indoor Air Quality, since health trumps energy cost savings.
13. Internal Gains

Once again, there is no worksheet for Internal Heat Gain. If people generate 200 to 500
BTUH in body heat depending on their size and movement activity, ae accounts for it in figuring
air conditioning Cooling load, but does not depend on it for winter heating.
13 Internal Gains
Number of Bedrooms
Occupants
Appliance - 0 BTUH
There are two inputs, the number of bedrooms and the appliances generating heat. The number
of occupants equals the number of bedrooms plus one. Although our example is a first floor, we
can enter 1 bedroom to show two occupants there during cooling season, if pertinent. Note that
occupants supply moisture or Latent Heat that is calculated in the Line 21 cells below as well as
Sensible Cooling on Line 13.
Appliances similarly will add air conditioning, Cooling Load but cannot be depended on
to heat in winter. The yellow drop box allows a choice of 0, 1200 or 2400 BTUH. For a kitchen,
with refrigerator and range, the default is 1200 BTUH. Adding dishwasher and lighting
allowance moves load to 2400 BTUH selected. An additional freezer or washer / drier increases
the Sensible Load to 3400, beyond ae capability.
Although Room loads had not been addressed yet, the program will give a message if
Room load is not matched, so enter 2400 for one of the rooms as shown.
Room-->
13 Internal Gains
Number of Bedrooms
Heating
Cooling
Net
BTUH
BTUH
Area
Occupants
BTUH
Heating
Cooling
460
Appliance - 2400 BTUH
2400
2400
Besides the 460 BTUH Sensible Cooling Load for Occupants, there is also a latent load
of 400 BTUH on Line 21.
Latent load for occupants
400
This completes the Sensible Heating and Cooling Loads for the House:
Heating
Cooling
BTUH
BTUH
23451
14 Sub Totals
10503
The Sensible Heating Load will be the Total Heating load, but Sensible Cooling plus
Latent Cooling will give Total Cooling Load.
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Lines 15 to 19 give three more Load Components to be input: Ducts, Ventilation and
Blower Fan. Ducts and Ventilation add to Sensible Heating and Cooling Loads, while Blower
Fan adds to Cooling only. The five Latent Cooling Loads in Line 21 are populated automatically
as required from these and a future Plant input.
15. Duct Loss and Gain
Attic duct supply branches

Basement Supply and Return Trunk lines
Duct design and study is a topic unto itself. Line 15 requires a few input items,
and starts with a default:
7E-T&B SA in Attic, RA Riser in Floor to Ceiling Chase, Perimeter Supply Outlets
15 Duct Loss & Gain
R-Value = 6
Leakage Class .12/.24
Installed Square Feet of Surface or Default = 1
0.250
Supply
5851
0.272
1
Return
For our example, the top yellow drop box should be changed to:
7D-T&B SA, RA in Closed Crawlspace or Unconditioned Basement
The R value options are: 2, 4, 6 or 8. Good insulation as shown above can be R-8, which
will be used. If attic ducts were encapsulated totally in several inches of blown in insulation,
ducts might be considered part of the conditioned space for very high R values. But there has
been some concern for mold in humid attics with very thick R-50value cellulose.
Leakage Class default is 0.12/0.24. 0.12 cfm/sq. ft. of exposed duct surface on the
supply line and 0.24 cfm/sq. ft. of exposed duct surface on the return line. Systems leakier than
this should be sealed. Verified tighter systems would be assigned 0.06/0.06 or 0.09/0.15. Poor
ductwork can be worse than 0.35/0.70. If no duct blaster testing by auditor, enter the best
subjective estimate. The example will use 0.24/0.47, because first floor ducts are located in an
unheated but (semi-conditioned) always 60F in winter, basement. Attic ductwork was assumed
to be sealed tighter during construction.
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2736

Because supply registers run to the building perimeter, and returns are more centrally
located, there is usually more supply square footage of ductwork than return. For this basement,
it is about 300 sq. ft. versus 150 sq. ft.
Heating
Cooling
BTUH
BTUH

15 Duct Loss & Gain
R-Value = 8
0.151
Supply
3550
0.091
300
Return
917
100
Note that the Line 21 Cooling Latent Load exceeds the Sensible Load at1983 versus 917.
There is no Ductwork Latent Heating Load.
1983
Latent load for duct in unconditioned space
Manual D discusses ductwork design in detail. The room cells to the right can be used,
and air flow at about 400 cfm per ton is distributed to each room register according to BTUH
load for that room. This is best done with the unabridged version of Manual J.
16. Ventilation
If outdoor air is processed by the heating and cooling equipment within the building,
and possibly within the conditioned space, it pressurizes or depressurizes it, impacting
infiltration. Account for raw outdoor air used for combustion, or fed into the return duct work.
Check appropriate Furnace or Water Heater or both, for informational purposes, neither of which
affect BTUH results. The yellow drop down box allows choice of 25 or 50 cfm. If more through
ae is specified (for example 53cfm), choose that box.
16 Ventilation
Combustion Air From Conditioned Space
Furnace
Water Heater
None
The example house has a heat pump and boiler located in the basement, so a minimal 25
cfm is selected.
16 Ventilation
Line 21
Furnace
Water Heater
Latent ventilation load for cooling
25 CFM
Heating
Cooling
BTUH
BTUH
25
1828
482
Note again that Latent Cooling load of 482 BTUH of moist summertime Waterbury
outside air exceeds Sensible Cooling load of 269 BTUH.
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269

Lines 17: Winter Humidification Loss, and 18: Hot Water Piping Loss,
as well as 20: AED Excursion and Latent Moisture Migration Gain
are parts of the unabridged Manual J spreadsheet and not on J ae.
19. Blower Heat Gain

ACCA Illustration of Blower Fan within an Air
Handler Cabinet.
Supply duct plenum would be located above.
Heating or cooling coil and air filter would be
nearby too.
If a fan uses one amp or so of power for 240
volts, it creates heat converted from Kilowatts
to BTUH. 1 kW = 3412 BTUH (= 3412 BTU
per Hr.) or 1 kWh = 3412 BTU. Cooling
system must expel this heat outside, so load is
calculated.
Blower Heat Gain
Manufacturer's performance data has blower heat discount
Either the Manufacturer of the Cooling equipment has a blower heat discount figured into
its performance data, or not. A typical zone fan will produce 3412 BTU per hour for half an hour
= 1707 BTUH. The fact that it adds heat in winter is not considered. This is the case for our
work plan example, where amperage was measured for the fan at this rate.
19 Blower Heat Gain
Heating
Cooling
BTUH
BTUH
Manufacturer's performance data has no blower heat discount
1707
20. Sensible Heat Loss and Gain Totals

Heating
Cooling
BTUH
BTUH
28829
20 Total Sensible Loss or Gain
13438
Almost 2 tons of heating capacity is required at 28,829 BTUH, and 13,438 BTUH
Sensible Cooling. But Total Cooling must be determined. Total Cooling = Sensible Cooling +
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Page 32 of 38

Latent Cooling. Line 21 summarizes Latent Cooling, but program does not total them up. The
engineer must add both values together. The program does not do this.
21. Total Latent Gain

Manual J defines many terms used. Latent Heat is the heat that is absorbed or released
when water changes to vapor or when water vapor condenses to water.
The air conditioning equipment selected must be capable of removing all Latent Heat
load.
Heating
Cooling
BTUH
BTUH
684
Latent Infiltration load for cooling
400

21
Latent load for

plants
Small
Medium
Large
1983
482
3548
Total Latent Gain
Add in 5 medium plants, if applicable. Total Latent Gain is 3648 BTUH.

684
400

21
Latent load for

plants
Small
Medium
Large

100
1983
482
3648
Total Latent Gain
If the house were instead located in Baton Rouge, LA, Total Latent Gain would be 5961
BTUH and a significantly higher percentage (29%) of the Total Cooling of 20,466 BTUH. The
latent heat removal capacity must be checked for equipment specified.
Back to Waterbury, CT where total cooling = 13,438 + 3648 = 17,086, almost a ton and a
half.
Latent percentage is 3648/17,086 = 21%, within the range of most air conditioning
equipment.
The total can be printed out in black and white to fit on a single 8 x 11 sheet, and is
easily saved as a .pdf to send to clients without the Excel detail.
Final Spreadsheet is as follows:
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Page 33 of 38

Tavino first floor
Project
Design State & City
Waterbury
Connecticut
70
HTD
68
75
85
CTD
10
50%
Grains Difference
29
Daily Range
Elevation
850
ACF
Latitude
6A Windows
& Glass
41
Medium
0.978
Block Load
Glass
Heating
Cooling
Net
Heating
Cooling
Direction
Construction Detail
HTM
HTM
Area
BTUH
BTUH
30.60
16.00
15
459
240
E/W
30.60
35.00
151
4621
5285
27.20
8.40
77
2094
647
Doors
6B Skylights
Wood &
Metal
Doors
Above Grade Walls
3.58
0.34
1129
4038
380
2 x 6 R -19
3.60
0.04
217
782
2 x 4 to basement at stairs R-13
1.16
0.77
41
47
32
5.64
35
198
2.81
1600
4494
670
15200
6717
381
c
d
e
Partition Walls
f
g
Below Grade Walls
a
b
10 Ceilings
a
b
c
d
Partition Ceilings
e
11 Passive Floors
0.42
b
Exposed Floors
Slab (Perimeter Ft.)
Basement Floor
Partition Floors
12 Infiltration
g
Envelope Leakage
Semi-Tight
No. of Fireplaces
Heated & Cooled

Number of Bedrooms
13 Internal Gains
1600

Occupants
460
Appliance - 2400 BTUH
2400
14 Sub Totals
23451
10503
3550
959

15 Duct Loss & Gain
16 Ventilation
R-Value = 8
0.151

Supply
Furnace
Water Heater
0.091
300
Return
100
25
25 CFM
1828
Manufacturer's performance data has no blower heat discount
19 Blower Heat Gain
28829
20 Total Sensible Loss or Gain
400
Peter J. Tavino Jr. PEPC

21
Latent load for

plants
Small
Medium
Large
PeterTavino@gmail.com
100
1983
482
3648
Total Latent Gain
13438
684
www.SunCam.com
269
1707
Page 34 of 38

Summary Sheet
The fourth tab on the bottom of the spreadsheet is for the Summary Sheet. There is no
need to figure percentages of components manually. Note that Infiltration at 23.3% is the largest
single heat loss contributor, while Windows and Glass at 41.1% are the largest Heat Gain
contributor.
Total Area
Construction Components
166
Windows & Glass Doors
HEAT LOSS
5080
HEAT GAIN
17.62%
5525
41.11%
Skylights
77
Wood & Metal Doors
2094
7.26%
647
4.81%
1346
Above Grade Walls
4820
16.72%
388
2.89%
32
41
Partition Walls
47
0.16%
35
Below Grade Walls
198
0.69%
4494
15.59%
6717
23.30%
0.23%
Ceilings
Partition Ceilings
1600
Passive Floors
4.99%
670
Exposed Floors
Slab Floors
Basement Floors
Partition Floors
Infiltration
Internal Gains
381
2.84%
2860
21.28%
Duct Loss & Gain
3550
12.31%
959
7.14%
Ventilation
1828
6.34%
269
2.00%
1707
12.70%
28829
100.00%
13438
100.00%
Blower Heat Gain

Total Sensible
Total Latent
3648
Total Cooling Load
17086
This completes the ACCA J ae analysis. It provides a good design condition estimate for
observing energy patterns and for sizing equipment. Manual S for Residential Equipment
Selection and Manual H for Heat Pump Systems: Principles and Applications should be studied
before specifying equipment. The best use of this new ACCA J ae skill set is for the engineer to
run the heating and cooling loads, and report them to licensed HVAC contractors (and preferably
ACCA Quality Installer Contractors). Ask them to submit a proposal to install equipment that
matches the heating and cooling output that has been calculated. They may use their ACCA J
third party software programs to confirm the Manual J ae totals before proceeding.
For understanding of how the calculated Loads relate to equipment capacities, consult
performance charts, usually found on-line. If an air source heat pump is desired, for the Total
Cooling Load of 17,086 BTUH = 1.42 ton unit, select a 1 ton heat pump. But heating will be
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Page 35 of 38

inefficient in this northern climate. An oil or gas combustion boiler would be sized to serve air
handlers for both floors. Geothermal water source heat pumps should be matched to meet the
28,829 BTUH heating load in second stage while being as minimally oversized in first stage
compressor speed as possible, to not short cycle, while meeting the 17,086 Total Cooling Load,
using the same heat pump in reverse. In Southern climates, the lower heating load makes this
easier.
For oversized cooling units, consider a pneumatic damper retrofitting system that allows
temperature control to be set room by room and from on line.
Here are four common equipment examples with rated output to match against the
heating and cooling load totals calculated. No endorsement of any product is made.
Carrier
Buderus
Infinity 15 Heat Pump 25HNB5
Logano 115WS
Air source
Oil
CAPACITIES
1.5-5 ton (for one floor as analyzed)
www.SunCam.com
heat only
Chimney Vent from 85,000 to 136,000 BTUH

Output (for two floors)
Page 36 of 38

Buderus
WaterFurnace
Logamax plus GB142
7 Series NV036
Gas
Ground Source
heat only
4 Models with Inputs from: 84,800 to 214,800

BTUH (for two floors)
100% speed: Heating Capacity 36,000 BTUH

50%: Total Cooling Capacity 20,000 BTUH
(for one floor as analyzed)
Conclusion
While many professional engineers taking this course might be members of ASHRAE, it
is ACCA that provides this wonderful free tool for residential heat loss and gain calculations.
Using our own homes as first trials allows us to help others who may wish to understand their
systems in these times of costly energy.
Principles mastered in residential construction allow easy transformation to commercial
buildings and the use of the parallel Manual N software. Knowledge is power. I have been
fortunate to have received good experience with residential heat loss and gain calculation work.
I am grateful that SUNCAM allows this accumulated knowledge to be passed on to the 700
engineers who have enjoyed my past courses, and to those of you now completing this one.
List of Acronyms follows on the last page:
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Page 37 of 38

Manual J ae Acronyms
ACCA: Air Conditioning Contractors of America
ACF: Altitude Correction Factor
ACH: Air Changes per Hour
Ae: Abridged Edition
AED: Adequate Exposure Diversity
ASHRAE: American Society of Heating
Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers
BTUH: British Thermal Unit per Hour
CFM50: Cubic Feet of air per Minute at -50 Pascals
CLTD: Cooling Load Temperature Difference (F)
CTD: Cooling Temperature Difference (F)
DR: Daily Range (F)
ELA: Envelope Leakage Area (Sq. Inches)
ERV: Energy Recovery Ventilator

HTD: Heating Temperature Difference (F)
HTM: Heat Transfer Multiplier (BTUH/sq. ft.)
HVAC: Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning
LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design
Low-e or Low-E: Low emissivity glass
NFRC: National Fenestration Rating Council
PTDC: Partition Temperature Difference for Cooling (F)
PTDH: Partition Temperature Difference for Heating (F)
R-Value: Panel Resistance: (Hr. x Sq. ft. x F) / BTU
RH: Relative Humidity
U-Value: Panel conductance: BTU / ( Hr. x Sq. ft. x F)
Reference Copy of First Floor Plan Example
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Page 38 of 38

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A SunCam online continuing education course

Heat Loss and Gain for a House

Peter J. Tavino Jr. PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet ACCA J ae Overview

J1 Form Header Information

Tavino first floor

Design State & City

Indoor Design Heating db

@ Outdoor (Winter) 99% db

Indoor Design Cooling db

Indoor Design Cooling RH

Header Portion at the top of Form J1

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

User input cells

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

Determining the Indoor versus Outdoor Temperature Difference:

Design State & City

Indoor Design Heating db

@ Outdoor (Winter) 99% db

Indoor Design Cooling db

Indoor Design Cooling RH

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

Line 7 Wood and Metal Doors

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

Table 4A -- Construction Number 11 -- Wood and Metal Doors

Population Instructions for Wood and Metal Doors

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

Solid core wood doors, R = 2.5

Solid core wood doors, R = 2.5

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

Solid core wood doors, R = 2.5

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

Line 6A Windows and Glass Doors

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

Unknown brand, double pane low-e, with shading blinds. R=2.2

Unknown brand, double pane low-e, with shading blinds. R=2.2

Unknown brand, double pane low-e, with shading blinds. R=2.2

Unknown brand, double pane low-e, with shading blinds. R=2.2

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations

From the Glass Sched:

This completes the Glass Sched.

Copyright 2014 Peter Tavino PE

Residential Heat Loss and Gain Calculations