HVAC

HVAC Seasonal Capacity Planning

Size your crew for the summer and winter demand swing: how big is the peak-season gap, and is overtime or a temporary hire the cheaper way to cover it.

Peak season demandhours / week, across all callsOff-peak demandhours / week, shoulder seasonWeekly capacity per crewhoursNumber of crewscrewsPeak season lengthweeksLoaded labor rate$ / hour, current crewOvertime multiplierx regular rateSeasonal hire loaded rate$ / hourHiring cost$ one-time

Peak season strategyLean overtime

Peak gap50 hrs/week

Off-peak utilization68.8%

Sensitivity to peak season length

Scenario	Overtime total	Hire total	Strategy
Duration -20%	$25,350	$27,960	Lean overtime
Duration -10%	$28,518.75	$31,080	Lean overtime
Base case	$31,687.5	$34,200	Lean overtime
Duration +10%	$34,856.25	$37,320	Lean overtime
Duration +20%	$38,025	$40,440	Lean overtime

Next Decision

Based on your results, these related decisions are available.

HVAC Maintenance Agreement Pricing & Renewal ProfitabilityIf your shoulder-season crew is underutilized, more maintenance agreements can fill that capacity.

Methodology

Formula: peak gap = max(0, peak season demand - total crew capacity). If a gap exists, it's run through the same Hire vs. Overtime logic as that engine, using peak season length as the duration. Off-peak utilization = off-peak demand / total capacity.

Assumption: HVAC's summer/winter demand swing is the clearest seasonal capacity story of any trade, this engine models one peak season and one off-peak reading, not a full year-round curve.

Limitation: doesn't model a gradual ramp up or down in demand, or multiple distinct peak periods (e.g. separate summer and winter peaks with different sizes) in a single run.