A statistical method for determining heat losses in electrically heated residences

IN MOST CASES, heating facilities to be installed in a particular residence (and other structures) must be sized before the house is built and prior to any actual experience knowledge of the heating requirements. This makes necessary the introduction of calculations, which wise practice indicates should provide an unquestionably ample heating system. Overdesign is common and not of substantial consequence, so long as fuel-fired systems are involved, since the fuel is usually readily stored in the basement, garage, or gas holder awaiting uses. Overdesign in electric heating installation may be necessary to a certain degree to provide for quick pick-up; however, any surplus represents an instantaneous liability on utility system capacity at the time of system peak load, since kilowatt-hours (kw-hr) cannot readily be stored as such. Surplus capacity should be minimized to assure a low cost to serve ratio.