How many BTU does your home need?
Answer a few questions: your house builds itself on screen, then we calculate how much heat it loses in winter and gains in summer, using the CSA F280 method.
Estimate using the CSA F280-12 method (component-by-component heat loss), with typical values for your construction period. This is not a signed load calculation report.
How we calculate
Your city’s temperature
We start from your city’s outdoor design temperature (National Building Code 2020, Appendix C): the temperature that is only undercut 2.5% of January hours. In Montreal it is −23 °C; in Edmonton, −32 °C.
Every surface, one by one
Walls, windows, roof, basement: for each component we multiply its area by its conductance (the inverse of its RSI value) and by the temperature difference. That is the CSA F280 component method.
The air that leaks in
A house also loses heat through air leaks. We estimate infiltration from the typical airtightness of your construction period (air changes at 50 Pa) or from your blower-door test.
Summer too
For cooling we add the sun entering each window by orientation, heat through the roof and walls, heat from people and appliances, and the moisture to remove.
The right unit, not the biggest
We pick the Kanartic system that covers your heating load at the design temperature without oversizing. An oversized heat pump short-cycles, dehumidifies poorly and wears out faster.
Install it yourself (DIY)
Kanartic DIY versions ship with pre-charged line sets and quick connectors. You mount the units, drill the wall, connect and plug in: no refrigerant handling.
- 1
Mount the indoor unit
On an exterior wall, high up, using the supplied template.
- 2
Drill the passage
A 2½–3 in. hole to the outside, sloping slightly down.
- 3
Set the outdoor unit
On a ground or wall bracket, above the snow line.
- 4
Connect the line set
Quick connectors thread on by hand, then with a wrench — no vacuum, no recharge.
- 5
Wire the power
A dedicated 240 V circuit; call an electrician if needed.
Tools: drill, hole saw, level, torque wrenches. Plan one day for a first unit.
In Quebec, Kanartic commissioning completes your DIY installation: a technician checks it, starts it up and gives you the invoice LogisVert requires.
Frequently asked questions
How many BTU per square foot?
The rule of thumb (20 to 30 BTU per sq ft) is often off by a factor of two, because it ignores climate, insulation, windows and airtightness. A recent 1,800 sq ft house in Montreal often needs less than 30,000 BTU/h, while an older house of the same size can need twice that.
Does a heat pump heat at −30 °C?
Yes. Kanartic cold-climate models keep heating at −30 °C and do not shut off when it gets colder. The calculator tells you whether the heat pump is enough on its own at your city’s design temperature.
Should I go bigger to be safe?
No. An oversized unit keeps starting and stopping, uses more energy and controls humidity poorly in summer. A right-sized unit with your current heating as backup for the rare extreme days is better.
Wall unit or multi-zone?
A wall unit heats an open area or a single room well. As soon as the house has several floors or closed rooms, a multi-zone puts an indoor unit in each zone, connected to one outdoor unit.
Can I install it myself?
Yes, anywhere in Canada, with the DIY versions: pre-charged line sets and quick connectors, no refrigerant handling. Only the 240 V wiring may require an electrician depending on your province.
Guides
BTU by floor area
From 150 to 3,000 sq ft: the load by climate and house age.
By room
Basement, garage, cottage, sunroom, bedroom, open concept.
By city
33 Canadian cities: temperatures, typical sizes and rebates.
BTU · kW · tons converter
Go from BTU/h to kW and tons in one click.
Rebates by province
Amounts, conditions and DIY eligibility of every province’s programs.
Installing a heat pump yourself
Steps, tools, what the electrician does, and DIY model prices.
Heat pump vs baseboard heaters
Annual cost and payback in 13 cities.
Heat pump vs oil furnace
Litres saved, payback and programs to get off oil.
Heat pump cost in Canada
Current prices for wall units and multi-zones, DIY and Standard.
Cold-climate heat pumps
Heating at −30 °C, ENERGY STAR criteria and balance point.
How many BTU for my house?
Why the BTU-per-square-foot rule gets it wrong, and what really sets heat pump size: climate, insulation, windows and airtightness.
BTU, kW and tons: conversions
How to go from BTU/h to kilowatts and refrigeration tons, with a table of common heat pump sizes.
Wall unit or multi-zone?
A wall unit for an open area, a multi-zone as soon as there are floors or closed rooms: how to choose and how many zones to plan.
Why not to oversize
Short cycling, poor humidity control, wear: what an oversized heat pump costs you, and how to choose the right size.
Explore by size, room or city
BTU by floor area
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By room
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