Whether you’re adding a second family room, a guest suite or enlarging the kitchen, having additional square footage in your home is sure to be convenient. Just don’t forget to think over the heating and cooling needs of the new space. One of those factors should cover whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Elkhart. Our guidebook will help you as you get started with the process.
Option 1: No Upgrade Needed
If the home addition includes growing a space instead of adding completely new rooms, you may not need to upgrade the HVAC system at all. This is usually the case if your heating and cooling equipment was too big originally. Schedule a load calculation from an Expert technician, like one from BW/Cook Service Experts by calling 574-218-6404. This will decide if your present HVAC setup can handle the modifications you’ve made to your house.
Option 2: Upgrade Your HVAC System
Another idea for getting heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to add on to the ductwork from your existing forced-air unit. If you use radiators or baseboard heating, you can add hot water piping to the new room.
You should know that, along with ductwork or water piping, you may also have to install HVAC equipment to take care of the increased load. The following increase in electricity usage may even require a new electrical panel. If your heating and cooling system needs to be replaced soon, this may be a good option.
Option 3: Install a Ductless Mini-Split
Instead of upgrading your existing equipment to manage the additional square footage, you can put in a separate one. Ductless mini-splits are perfect for this. They consist of two parts. There’s a condensing system that is installed on a slab outdoors, much like an air conditioner. Then there’s the compact indoor blower that is placed against the ceiling or wall.
Akin to a central heat pump, mini-split HVAC systems provide both heating and cooling for constant comfort from one piece of equipment.
Since it links with a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, you don’t need ductwork. You can even join up to four indoor blowers with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in differing areas in your house. A ductless mini-split could be the ideal HVAC system for your home addition if:
- Your current system can’t absorb the additional space, and you’re not able to replace everything right now.
- The old and additional rooms have different heating and cooling needs.
- You want to add air conditioning to your home without putting in or lengthening the ductwork.
If you need help deciding which HVAC option is best, let BW/Cook Service Experts give our suggestions. We have a lot of experience helping homeowners fine-tune their indoor comfort, with a dedication to efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC systems.
We’ll start the process by doing a load calculation to figure out your needs. Then, we can provide cost breakdowns for ductwork installation and system upgrades vs. getting a ductless mini-split HVAC system. We’ll give you all the options so you can make a smart decision. To start, contact us at 574-218-6404 to schedule an appointment right away!