The HVAC tonnage finder.
Describe the house, from floor area and ceiling height to insulation, sun and windows, and read a planning size on a dial in tons, BTUs and airflow. Free, with no signup.
- A dial, not a guess
- Eight inputs
- Free, no signup
- Cooling load
- 0
- Heat to replace
- 0
- Air to move
- 0
How to read this
- A ton is a unit of cooling capacity, not weight. One ton moves twelve thousand BTUs per hour.
- Bigger is not better: an oversized system cools fast, shuts off early and leaves the air humid.
- This is a planning range. A proper load calculation looks at the whole house.
Saved. Your choices will travel with the estimate form below.
Four things behind every estimate.
Insulation and sealing
A tight, well-insulated house needs far less than a leaky one of the same size.
Sun and windows
West-facing glass and bare sunny walls can add more load than extra floor area.
People and use
Each person adds heat, and kitchens, offices and big electronics add more.
The ducts
Even the right size cannot overcome ducts that are too small or leaky.
Learn more about each one.
Thermostats and EfficiencyHVAC System SizingCalculate it, do not guess.
Air ConditioningAC InstallationSized, set and tested.
Air ConditioningAC ReplacementA planned swap, not a panic.
Furnaces and HeatingFurnace InstallationSized, vented, commissioned.
Heat Pumps and Mini-SplitsHeat Pump InstallationHeat moved, not burned.
Thermostats and EfficiencyVariable-Speed and Two-Stage SystemsRight-sized output, every hour.Tonnage Finder questions
What size system does my house need?
Size depends on far more than square footage: insulation, windows, sun, ducts and how people use the house. An oversized system cools fast, shuts off early and leaves the air humid. We calculate the load instead of copying the old unit, and our Tonnage Finder gives you a starting range.
How much does a new HVAC system cost?
It depends on the size, the efficiency, the type of equipment and what the ducts need. Two houses of the same size can price differently. Our Tonnage Finder gives a planning size, and a visit gives you a firm written price with the options side by side.
Should I repair or replace my system?
A repair makes sense when the system is in its middle years and the fix is small compared with a new one. A big repair on an old or failing system is usually money better spent on replacement. We show you both options in writing, and our Life Clock shows where your equipment sits in its typical life.
Want a real load calculation?
We measure the house, calculate the load room by room and put the options in writing.