Manual J

[Brian G]

Time to expose some of my remaining stockpile of ignorance. I'm planning a couple of HVAC projects in the next year or so, and I've heard the mysterious "Manual J" mentioned and I know basically what it does, but that's about all I really know about it. So...

Does anyone have Manual J?

If so, do you actually know how to do a calculation?

How complicated is it, really?

If you get caught between sizes, is smaller truly better, or will I wish I'd bumped up later?

I ran across one site where you do the thing online, but it costs $50. I'm sure it would be worth that to get it right, but for a little more I can buy the book and learn to do it myself (I think).

Brian G.

Contractors Around Here Think Manual J Is a Cuban Baseball Player [:-basebal

[Tom Barber]

Brian, Manual J is basicly a computer program that HVAC company's use to size the heating equipment propelry for your home, including the ductwork. Like any other program if you do not enter the proper information they are useless. I finished a basement for a friend last year and hired my local "Good" heating company to come out and run it for me. If I used him it was included in the price if not they where going to charge me $100, well worth the price.

Tom Barber in VA

[mcramer]

Originally posted by Brian G.

Time to expose some of my remaining stockpile of ignorance. I'm planning a couple of HVAC projects in the next year or so, and I've heard the mysterious "Manual J" mentioned and I know basically what it does, but that's about all I really know about it. So...

Does anyone have Manual J?

If so, do you actually know how to do a calculation?

How complicated is it, really?

If you get caught between sizes, is smaller truly better, or will I wish I'd bumped up later?

I ran across one site where you do the thing online, but it costs $50. I'm sure it would be worth that to get it right, but for a little more I can buy the book and learn to do it myself (I think).

Brian G.

Contractors Around Here Think Manual J Is a Cuban Baseball Player [:-basebal

It's not that hard, but there is a learning curve. I've done it, but I wouldn't recommend going to the trouble to learn how just to do your home. Talk to a good AC contractor, he probably has a guy he subs it out to that you could hire for $100.00 to do it.