Whether you’re adding a second family room, a guest suite or enlarging the kitchen, having extra square footage in your residence is sure to be handy. Just don’t forget to consider the heating and cooling requirements of the new space. One of those points should incorporate whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Wheeling. Our guidebook will help you as you begin the process.
Option 1: No Upgrade Necessary
If the home addition calls for enlarging a space as opposed to adding entirely new rooms, you may not need to enhance the HVAC system at all. This is usually the instance if your heating and cooling units were too big originally. Book a load calculation from a professional technician, such as one from Comfort Masters Service Experts by calling 847-250-6729. This will decide if your current HVAC equipment can take on the upgrades you’ve made to your house.
Option 2: Upgrade Your HVAC System
Another solution for delivering heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to extend the ductwork from your existing forced-air equipment. If you rely on radiators or baseboard heating, you can extend hot water piping to the new room.
Bear in mind that, along with ductwork or water piping, you may also have to put in HVAC equipment to handle the bigger load. The resulting increase in electricity consumption might even require an enhanced electrical panel. If your heating and cooling system is due for a replacement soon, this may be a good solution.
Option 3: Get a Ductless Mini-Split
In place of upgrading your existing system to manage the added square footage, you can put in a stand-alone one. Ductless mini-splits are ideal for this. They use two parts. There’s a condensing system that is installed on the ground outdoors, similar to an air conditioner. Then there’s the sleek indoor blower that mounts against the ceiling or wall.
Akin to a central heat pump, mini-split HVAC systems offer both heating and cooling for all-season comfort from a sole system.
Since it uses a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, no ductwork is required. You can even link up to four indoor units with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in differing parts of your residence. A ductless mini-split might be the ideal HVAC option for your home addition if:
- Your present system can’t absorb the added room, and you’re not able to replace it all right away.
- The old and new spaces have varying heating and cooling needs.
- You want to add air conditioning to your house without getting or adding on to the ductwork.
If you need help figuring out which HVAC option is a good match, let Comfort Masters Service Experts give our recommendations. We have a wealth of experience helping homeowners fine-tune their indoor comfort, with a dedication to efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC options.
We’ll get started by conducting a load calculation to figure out your needs. Then, we can give cost listings for ductwork installation and system upgrades vs. putting in a ductless mini-split HVAC system. We’ll give you all the possibilities so you can make a wise decision. To get started, reach at 847-250-6729 to schedule an appointment right away!