Is It Necessary to Upgrade My HVAC System for a Home Addition?
Whether you’re putting on a second family room, a guest suite or enlarging the kitchen, having extra square footage in your house is sure to be handy. Just keep in mind you need to consider the heating and cooling requirements of the new room. One of those factors should cover whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Columbia. Our guide will help you as you begin the process.
Option 1: No Upgrade Necessary
If the home addition involves growing an area rather than putting on totally new rooms, you may not need to upgrade the HVAC system at all. This is usually the situation if your heating and cooling equipment was too large to begin with. Request a load calculation from a professional technician, like one from Midland Air Service Experts by calling 803-399-7208. This will determine if your current HVAC system can handle the changes you’ve made to your home.
Option 2: HVAC System Upgrade
Another option for bringing heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to extend the ductwork from your existing forced-air equipment. If you use radiators or baseboard heating, you can add hot water piping to the new room.
Be mindful that, along with ductwork or water piping, you may also have to install HVAC equipment to manage the higher load. The ensuing increase in electricity consumption may even require an electrical panel upgrade. If your heating and cooling system requires a replacement soon, this might be perfectly acceptable.
Option 3: Add a Ductless Mini-Split
In place of upgrading your existing system to handle the additional space, you can put in a freestanding one. Ductless mini-splits are ideal for this. They consist of two parts. There’s a condensing unit that sits on a slab near your home, similar to an air conditioner. Then there’s the sleek indoor blower that mounts on 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 piece of equipment.
Since it uses a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, you don’t need ductwork. You can even add up to four indoor air handlers with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in differing areas in your home. A ductless mini-split could be the best HVAC system for your home addition if:
- Your existing system can’t absorb the extra room, and you’re not ready to replace every part today.
- The old and new spaces have varying heating and cooling needs.
- You are looking to add air conditioning to your residence without putting in or adding on to the ductwork.
If you need help figuring out which HVAC option is right for you, let Midland Air Service Experts give our advice. We have a lot of experience helping homeowners fine-tune their indoor comfort, with a commitment to efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC options.
We’ll get started by conducting a load calculation to determine your needs. Then, we can give cost breakdowns for ductwork installation and system upgrades vs. putting in a ductless mini-split HVAC system. We’ll present you with all the options so you can make a wise decision. To start, call at 803-399-7208 to schedule an appointment today!
