Review Parameters Related to System Cooling Design, Selection, and Installation from the HVAC Contractor Checklist

Builders, raters, and installers use this portion (Section 1) of the HVAC System Quality Installation Rater Checklist (HVAC/R) to confirm and document that the contractor has completed proper procedures and processes in sizing HVAC equipment.

This page provides the full language for the selected checklist requirement and shows the applicable footnotes describing how to comply; however, a full measure guide showing installation information is not needed.

The numbers in parentheses (included in the measures in this Section 1) refer to measures included in the HVAC System Quality Installation Contractor Checklist (HVAC/C). For information about installing HVAC equipment, see Sections 2 through 11 of HVAC System Quality Installation Rater Checklist (HVAC/R).

Footnotes:

³   For homes with a date of final inspection through 12/31/2012: Item 1.2.1 is permitted to be within +/- 5 degrees of the 1% and 99% ACCA Manual J design temperatures for the contractor-designated design location. In addition, for each house plan with multiple configurations (e.g., orientations, elevations, options), the Rater shall confirm that the parameters listed in Items 1.2.2 to 1.2.6 are aligned with either: the rated home or with the plans for the configuration used to calculate the loads, as provided by the contractor.

For homes with a date of final inspection on or after 01/01/2013: Item 1.2.1 shall match the 1% and 99% ACCA Manual J design temperatures for the contractor-designated design location. In addition, for each house plan with multiple configurations (e.g., orientations, elevations, options), the Rater shall confirm that the parameters listed in Items 1.2.2 to 1.2.6 are aligned with the rated home.

⁴   The Rater shall either confirm that the contractor selected the geographically closest available location or collect from the contractor a justification for the selected location. The Rater need not evaluate the legitimacy of the justification to qualify the home.

⁵   The number of occupants among all HVAC systems in the home shall be equal to the number of RESNET-defined bedrooms plus one. Occupants listed for systems for which the header of the Contractor Checklist indicates that it is designed to handle temporary occupant loads, as defined in Footnote 3 of the Contractor Checklist, shall be permitted to exceed this limit.

⁶   “Predominant” is defined as the SHGC value used in the greatest amount of window area in the home.

⁷   For cooling systems, the next largest nominal piece of equipment may be used that is available to satisfy the latent and sensible requirements. Single-speed systems generally have OEM nominal size increments of ½ ton. Multi-speed or multi-stage equipment may have OEM nominal size increments of one ton. Therefore, the use of these advanced system types can provide extra flexibility to meet the equipment sizing requirements.

⁸   In cases where the condenser unit is installed after the time of inspection by the Rater, the HVAC manufacturer and model numbers on installed equipment can be documented through the use of photographs provided by the HVAC Contractor after installation is complete.

⁹   If contractor has indicated that an OEM test procedure has been used in place of a sub-cooling or super-heat process and documentation has been attached that defines this procedure, then the box for “N/A” shall be checked for this Item.