HEAT LOSS HELP

[ffspeed]

I am looking for a heat loss calculator that works. I have downloaded two so far, and still have no calculation. The one didn't work at all, you couldn't put in any measurements. So I downloaded a different one, it seemed to work. I went around and got all the different measurements for all the room. Everything seemed to be working till I printed it out. I have two bedrooms the same, but the heat loss is over a 1000 btu's difference between the two. And I have tried reentering the information and it still comes out the same.

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Sadly these sort of calculators are only a wild guess at best.

Window area, type of glass (single, double or triple pane)
Wall thickness and amount and type of insulation
Ceiling insulation ( amount and type and the R value)

Amount of free air circulation in the house from leaks or ????

Just far too many variables for a computer program to really give you any usable data.

Unless you have solid info on all the mentioned criteria.

If you are trying to size a Pellet stove I would base it on the sq ft floor area that you wish to heat, and add a little bit so you have some extra capacity in the stove.

You can always turn the heat down, but its tough when the stove is maxed out and the house is still cold.


Snowy

 

[dac122]

You can go to your local library an get a copy of Manual J Residential Load Calculation, and run through the calculations, or pay for HVAC Calc - which uses Manual J in its calculations. Or just go with the square foot method since most stoves will be just a few BTU ranges.

 

[imacman]

I am looking for a heat loss calculator that works. I have downloaded two so far, and still have no calculation. The one didn't work at all, you couldn't put in any measurements. So I downloaded a different one, it seemed to work. I went around and got all the different measurements for all the room. Everything seemed to be working till I printed it out. I have two bedrooms the same, but the heat loss is over a 1000 btu's difference between the two. And I have tried reentering the information and it still comes out the same.

Unless he sees this thread & chimes in, try sending a PM to forum member 'smokeythebear'....I think he has one that he uses.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

This is but one heat loss calculator that is out there http://www.builditsolar.com/References/Calculators/HeatLoss/HeatLoss.htm

Please note all of disclaimers, and pay attention to all detail, as it has a direct effect on how accurate your end result will be.

You can get the publication referenced by dac122 and do it all by hand there is nothing mystical or truly difficult about the calculations.

At one time it was common to see such problems expressed in slightly different terms in High School Physics textbooks.