Whether you’re building a second family room, a guest suite or expanding the kitchen, having extra square footage in your house is sure to be handy. Just keep in mind you need to think about the heating and cooling requirements of the new space. One of those considerations should involve whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Belleville. Our instructions will help you as you begin the process.
Option 1: No Upgrade Required
If the home addition involves enlarging a room as opposed to adding entirely new rooms, you may not need to upgrade the HVAC system at all. This is most likely the situation if your heating and cooling equipment was oversized to begin with. Request a load calculation from an Expert technician, like one from D&K Home Services by Enercare by calling 613-707-2421. This will figure out if your existing HVAC system can handle the upgrades you’ve made to your house.
Option 2: Install a New HVAC System
Another idea for bringing heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to lengthen the ductwork from your present forced-air unit. If you have radiators or baseboard heating, you can extend hot water piping to the new space.
Bear in mind that, along with ductwork or water piping, you could also have to put in HVAC equipment to take care of the bigger load. The resulting increase in electricity consumption could even need a new electrical panel. If your heating and cooling system is due for a replacement soon, this may be perfectly acceptable.
Option 3: Add a Ductless Mini-Split
Instead of getting a new unit to cover the additional area, you can add a separate one. Ductless mini-splits are great for this. They consist of two parts. There’s a condensing component that is installed on the ground near your home, akin to an air conditioner. Then there’s the compact indoor blower that is installed 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 one piece of equipment.
Since it includes a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, ductwork isn’t necessary. You can even join up to four indoor air handlers with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in different parts of your residence. A ductless mini-split might be the right HVAC system for your home addition if:
- Your present system can’t absorb the added space, and you’re not prepared to replace it all right away.
- The old and expanded additions have differing heating and cooling needs.
- You would like to add air conditioning to your house without installing or lengthening the ductwork.
If you need help determining which HVAC option is best, let D&K Home Services by Enercare offer our suggestions. We have years of experience helping homeowners fine-tune their indoor comfort, with a commitment to efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC solutions.
Let us start by conducting a load calculation to determine your needs. Then, we can offer cost comparisons for ductwork installation and system upgrades vs. getting a ductless mini-split HVAC system. We’ll present you with all the solutions so you can make a smart decision. To get started, call at 613-707-2421 to schedule an appointment now!