Hello!  I am new to this forum, but not rookie enough to ask a question without having looked around for it first!   So, I come to you after having searched around and read other posts.  Essentially, I am a beginner to efficiency and radiant heat, but interested in doing a remodel this summer using radiant.  To do so, I would like to go into it informed like so many folks seem to be on this site.  I have quoted a recent post below by pinkrobe, and having read it would like to know how to calculate things such as "degree days," UA heat loss, design loss, and heat loss.

Can anyone point me to where i can learn what all this means, as well as how to calculate these items?

Thanks!!


Pinkrobe:

• I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and after some Googling I have determined that we have ~8100 degree days.
• I've done a rough calculation of the heat loss of the house - UA = 789, design loss is 79689 and year loss is 153 million BTU

Degree days have nothing to do with heat load analysis.

A heat load analysis is determined by calculating the heat loss for a specific structure during "design conditions". This is normally expressed as a percentage of the coldest few days (or highest heat loss) of the heating season and helps determine the proper sized heating appliance to keep up with heat loss while in design conditions. The whole thing has been around for decades and is referred to as Manual 'J'. I currently use the 8th version.

There are programs on available on the internet. Beware "free" programs remembering what free is worth.

warmly yours website has a pretty good heat loss calculator. 

Slant fin has a good heat loss software program that is free.  But it isn't available right now, as i think they are coming out with a new version.

 

Thanks a bunch. I will check it out!