A West Jordan customer building a new 3,200 sq ft two-story home with a finished basement contacted us about complete HVAC installation. As new construction, the project allowed proper design from scratch — Manual J load calculation, Manual D ductwork design, equipment selection optimized for the home’s load characteristics, and consideration of heat pump versus gas furnace approach with the IRA rebate landscape. The customer was specifically interested in heat pump options because of the tax credits and operating cost considerations.
Customer Situation
- Home: New construction, 3,200 sq ft total (1,700 main level, 1,000 upper level, 500 finished basement)
- Construction stage: Framing complete, HVAC rough-in phase
- Customer priorities: High-efficiency equipment, heat pump consideration, zoning across three levels, maximize rebates
Manual J Load Calculation
- Conditioned area: 3,200 sq ft
- Insulation: R-21 walls, R-49 attic (current code)
- Windows: vinyl double-pane low-E
- Air sealing: target 2 ACH50 (new construction)
- Salt Lake design conditions
Manual J results:
– Total heating load: 52,000 BTU/h
– Total cooling load: 38,000 BTU/h (3.2 tons)
Per-zone analysis for three-zone design:
– Main level zone: 22,000 BTU/h heating / 17,500 BTU/h cooling
– Upper level zone: 18,000 BTU/h heating / 14,000 BTU/h cooling
– Basement zone: 12,000 BTU/h heating / 6,500 BTU/h cooling
Equipment Selection
Customer chose dual-fuel system with three-zone configuration:
- Outdoor unit: Trane XV20i 4-ton variable-speed heat pump
- Air handler/furnace: Trane S9V2-VS 60,000 BTU input modulating condensing furnace (backup heat)
- Zone control: Honeywell HZ432 four-zone panel (three zones used)
- Thermostats: Three Trane XL824 with proper dual-fuel staging
- Manual D ductwork designed per equipment specifications
Project cost: $28,500
Installation
Duration: 3 days (Day 1: ductwork; Days 2-3: equipment and commissioning)
Ductwork installed before insulation phase per Manual D design. Equipment and zoning installed during HVAC rough-in. Final commissioning before drywall closes everything in.
Commissioning
All measurements documented within manufacturer specifications across cooling and heating modes, three zones individually verified, dual-fuel transitions tested.
Final Cost and Rebate Filing
Customer’s cost: $28,500
Rebates filed:
– Federal 25C tax credit: $2,000 (heat pump) + $600 (furnace) = $2,600
– Rocky Mountain Power Wattsmart heat pump rebate: $400
– Dominion Energy Therm-Wise furnace rebate: $200
Total incentives: $3,200
Effective net cost: $25,300
Customer Outcome
New home maintains comfortable temperatures across all three zones independently. Heat pump operates as primary heat above 30°F balance point with gas furnace activating for severe cold. Modulating equipment provides quiet, efficient operation matching variable loads throughout the year.
What This Case Study Demonstrates
- New construction allows proper system design from scratch
- Manual J + Manual D + equipment selection optimized together
- Dual-fuel system maximizes both efficiency and reliability
- Three-zone configuration matches home layout
- Substantial rebates compound — $3,200 total incentives
Building New?
If you’re building a new home in West Jordan, call (385) 250-0687 to coordinate HVAC design with your builder.
- Phone: (385) 250-0687
- Address: 4454 Manhattan Ct, West Valley City, UT 84120