Disclaimer
What our guidance is, what it is not, and where a licensed professional is required by law.
Safety First
HVAC work involves combustion appliances, flue gases, refrigerants under pressure and mains electricity. Done wrong it causes carbon monoxide poisoning, fire, electrocution, refrigerant burns and structural damage.
Gas, flue, refrigerant and electrical work is legally restricted to licensed or certified trades in most jurisdictions. Nothing on this site authorises you to do that work yourself, and nothing here should be read as instructions to attempt it.
If you smell gas, suspect a flue problem, or a carbon monoxide alarm sounds: leave the building, and call your gas emergency line or emergency services from outside. Do not investigate it yourself.
Last updated 8 September 2026.
General Information Only
HVACPool publishes general educational content about heating, ventilation and air conditioning. It is written for a broad audience and cannot account for your building, climate zone, fuel availability, existing ductwork, electrical capacity or local code.
It is not engineering advice, not a system design and not a substitute for assessment by a licensed contractor who has seen the building. Reading this site does not create a contractor-client, engineer-client or advisory relationship between you and HVACPool.
Sizing and Load Calculations
Every capacity figure on this site — BTU rating, tonnage, CFM value — is illustrative. It shows where a category sits, not what your home needs.
Equipment must be selected from a load calculation performed for your specific building. In North America that means an ACCA Manual J calculation, with Manual S for equipment selection and Manual D for duct design. Square-footage rules of thumb are not adequate and produce systems that cost more and perform worse. Oversized equipment short-cycles, leaves humidity in the air and shortens component life. Undersized equipment cannot hold setpoint on design days.
Efficiency Ratings
Ratings such as AFUE, SEER2, EER2, HSPF2, MERV and sone values are quoted for illustration and comparison.
Certified ratings usually apply to a specific indoor and outdoor unit combination rather than to a single component, so the number on an outdoor unit’s brochure may not be the number you get. Verify the certified rating for the exact model numbers you are quoted in the AHRI Directory, the HVI Certified Products Directory, or on energystar.gov before deciding.
Pricing
Any price on this site is indicative. HVAC pricing varies by region, season, distributor, installation complexity and current supply conditions, and prices shown here may be out of date.
They are not quotations, not offers to sell, and should not be used for budgeting. Get a written quote from a contractor or authorised dealer.
Codes, Permits and Incentives
Building codes, permit requirements, efficiency minimums, refrigerant rules and rebate programmes differ by country, state and municipality, and they change regularly. Requirements described here may not apply where you live and may be superseded. Confirm current requirements with your local authority having jurisdiction before work begins.
Manufacturer Trademarks
Manufacturer and model names appear for identification and comparison. HVACPool is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any manufacturer unless we say so explicitly on the page. All trademarks belong to their owners.
Accuracy and Corrections
We work from primary sources including the U.S. Department of Energy, ENERGY STAR, AHRI and HVI, and we correct errors when we find them. Even so, we do not warrant that any content is complete, accurate or current.
If you spot something wrong, tell us at corrections@hvacpool.com. Our Editorial Policy explains how corrections are handled.
Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, HVACPool accepts no liability for loss or damage arising from reliance on this site, including any decision about purchasing, installing, modifying or maintaining equipment. Our Terms of Use apply in full.