US Edition · NEC 220.82

Does Your Panel Have
Capacity for a Heat Pump?

Know before you spend $5,000–$10,000 on a panel upgrade. Our NEC 220.82 Optional Method calculator tells you exactly how much headroom your electrical panel has — in minutes.

PASS200A panel
Estimated load142A
Headroom+58A

Capacity for heat pump + Level 2 EV charger

WARN150A panel
Estimated load138A
Headroom+12A

Marginal — heat pump only, no EV charger

FAIL100A panel
Estimated load108A
Headroom−8A

Panel upgrade required before installation

Illustrative examples — not actual audit results

$5K–$10K

Average panel upgrade cost

Often unnecessary — most 200A panels already have headroom for a heat pump.

220.82

NEC Optional Method

The correct calculation for dwelling units with heat pumps. Not the standard method.

<5 min

To complete your audit

No electrician visit required to get a preliminary capacity assessment.

How it works

Three inputs, one clear answer. No electrician visit required for a preliminary assessment.

01

Enter your panel details

Panel size (amps), heating type, cooling, water heater, EV charger — basic information most homeowners already have.

02

NEC 220.82 calculation runs

The Optional Method load calculation — the same standard your electrician uses. First 8 kVA at 100%, remainder at 40%.

03

Get your audit report + PDF

PASS, WARN, or FAIL verdict with exact amperage figures. Downloadable PDF to share with your contractor or HVAC installer.

What you'll need to enter

Panel size (amps)
Square footage
Heating system type
Central AC or heat pump
Electric water heater?
Electric range?
EV charger?
Electric dryer?

What you get

A compliance-grade audit report you can hand to your contractor.

PASS / WARN / FAIL verdict

Unambiguous result with exact amperage figures — not a vague "it depends."

Full load breakdown

Line-by-line NEC 220.82 calculation so you can see exactly how the number was reached.

Downloadable PDF report

UUID-stamped audit document to share with your HVAC installer or licensed electrician.

Actionable next steps

If WARN/FAIL: specific recommendations — load shed, dedicated circuit, or panel upgrade.

Disclaimer: This tool provides a preliminary NEC 220.82 load estimate for informational purposes only. It does not replace a licensed electrician's site inspection or an official permit submission. Final decisions must be made by a qualified electrical contractor.

Get notified at launch

The US panel audit tool is in development. Enter your ZIP code so we can confirm your state is supported at launch.

No spam. One email when the US audit tool goes live.

NEC 2023

code standard

$24.99

flat fee at launch

PDF report

included

HeatPumpLocator.com — Panel Capacity Audits for US Homeowners