Whether you’re putting on a second family room, a guest suite or enlarging the kitchen, having more square footage in your home is sure to be handy. Just don’t forget to think over the heating and cooling necessities of the new space. One of those points should incorporate whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Roanoke. Our instructions will help you as you get started with the process.
Option 1: No Upgrade Necessary
If the home addition calls for growing an area rather than putting on totally new rooms, you may not need to improve the HVAC system at all. This is most likely the instance if your heating and cooling system was oversized when they were installed. Get a load calculation from a pro technician, such as one from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning by calling 540-302-8645. This will decide if your present HVAC equipment can handle the modifications you’ve made to your residence.
Option 2: Upgrade Your HVAC System
Another solution for bringing heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to add on to 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 area.
Please note that, along with ductwork or water piping, you could also have to add HVAC equipment to take care of the increased load. The ensuing increase in electricity usage may even call for 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
Rather than getting a new unit to handle the added space, you can get a separate one. Ductless mini-splits are great for this. They use two parts. There’s a condensing unit that sits on the ground near your home, similar to an air conditioner. Then there’s the compact indoor blower that mounts on the ceiling or wall.
Akin to a central heat pump, mini-split HVAC systems provide both heating and cooling for all-season comfort from a single system.
Since there’s a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, ductwork isn’t necessary. You can even add up to four indoor blowers with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in different spaces in your home. A ductless mini-split may be the best HVAC system for your home addition if:
- Your current system can’t handle the extra area, and you’re not prepared to replace it all today.
- The old and new rooms have differing heating and cooling needs.
- You would like to add air conditioning to your house without putting in or lengthening the ductwork.
If you need help figuring out which HVAC option is best, let Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning provide our recommendations. We have years of experience helping homeowners adjust their indoor comfort, with a passion for efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC systems.
We’ll start the process by completing a load calculation to determine 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 smart decision. To get started, contact us at 540-302-8645 to schedule an appointment now!