Should You Upgrade Your HVAC System for a Home Addition?
Whether you’re building a second family room, a guest space or expanding the kitchen, having extra square footage in your house is sure to be handy. Just remember to consider the heating and cooling needs of the new space. One of those points should include whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Concord. Our instructions will help you as you begin the process.
Option 1: No Upgrade Required
If the home addition includes growing a space instead of putting on completely new rooms, you may not need to enhance the HVAC system at all. This is often the instance if your heating and cooling system was oversized originally. Get a load calculation from a pro technician, for example one from Freschi Service Experts by calling 925-384-1303. This will decide if your existing HVAC equipment can take on the modifications you’ve made to your residence.
Option 2: Replace Your HVAC System
Another option for bringing heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to extend the ductwork from your current forced-air equipment. If you use radiators or baseboard heating, you can extend hot water piping to the new space.
Bear in mind that, adding ductwork or water piping, you may also have to add HVAC equipment to manage the higher load. The subsequent increase in electricity consumption may even call for an electrical panel upgrade. 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 installing a new equipment to handle the additional space, you can get a stand-alone one. Ductless mini-splits are perfect for this. They use two parts. There’s a condensing unit that is installed on cement outdoors, similar to an air conditioner. Then there’s the small indoor blower that is placed to the ceiling or wall.
Akin to a central heat pump, mini-split HVAC systems deliver both heating and cooling for all-season comfort from a sole system.
Since it links with a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, zero ductwork is required. You can even add up to four indoor air handlers with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in distinct parts of your home. A ductless mini-split may be the best HVAC option for your home addition if:
- Your existing system can’t take on the added square footage, and you’re not able to replace every part today.
- The old and expanded rooms have varying heating and cooling needs.
- You would like to add air conditioning to your house without installing or adding on to the ductwork.
If you need help deciding which HVAC option is ideal, let Freschi Service Experts offer our suggestions. We have a wealth of experience helping homeowners dial in their indoor comfort, with a passion for efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC solutions.
Let us start by completing a load calculation to learn your needs. Then, we can provide cost comparisons for ductwork installation and system upgrades vs. installing a ductless mini-split HVAC system. We’ll give you all the possibilities so you can make an informed decision. To begin, call at 925-384-1303 to schedule an appointment today!
