Design & Analytics

TrueGrid Airflow Analytics

$500 — measured with the TrueFlow Grid, standalone report

The instrument is the TrueFlow Grid: it drops into the air handler where your filter sits and measures the airflow the system actually moves — real numbers, not a guess from listening at a vent.

Why it matters most on cooling: an AC that ices over is often starved for air, not low on refrigerant. When airflow across the indoor coil falls below spec, the coil drops below freezing, the condensate turns to ice, and the ice chokes off what airflow was left. Add refrigerant without measuring airflow and the ice comes back — with the real problem still in the ductwork. The TrueFlow number separates the two in one visit, and the written report decides the fix: duct repair, blower, filter restriction, or charge — in the order the physics runs.

Manual J Heat Load Calculation

$875 — ACCA Manual J, standalone report

Heating and cooling both start with Manual J. We measure the house itself: square footage, insulation levels, window area and orientation, air leakage, and Steamboat’s own design temperatures — room by room. The output is the number the whole job hangs on: how many BTUs your house actually needs, per room, on the coldest design day. The written report sizes the equipment to your house, not to a rule of thumb, and it’s yours regardless of who performs the install. Most systems are oversized — but more doesn’t mean better.