Does a Home Addition Require Upgrading My HVAC System?
Whether you’re putting on a second family room, a guest area or expanding the kitchen, having extra square footage in your home is sure to be handy. Just keep in mind you need to consider the heating and cooling necessities of the new space. One of those points should involve whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in San Antonio. Our guidebook will help you as you take the first step in the process.
Option 1: No Upgrade Necessary
If the home addition includes growing an area instead of putting on totally new rooms, you may not need to upgrade the HVAC system at all. This is usually the instance if your heating and cooling units were oversized originally. Request a load calculation from a pro technician, such as one from Aramendia Plumbing, Heating and Air by calling 210-404-4233. This will decide if your current HVAC equipment can manage the changes you’ve made to your residence.
Option 2: HVAC System Upgrade
Another idea for bringing heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to lengthen the ductwork from your existing forced-air unit. If you use radiators or baseboard heating, you can extend hot water piping to the new room.
You should know that, adding ductwork or water piping, you could also have to put in HVAC equipment to take care of the higher load. The subsequent increase in electricity usage might even require an enhanced electrical panel. If your heating and cooling system requires a replacement soon, this could be perfectly acceptable.
Option 3: Add a Ductless Mini-Split
In place of upgrading your existing system to cover the added space, you can put in a separate one. Ductless mini-splits are perfect for this. They use two parts. There’s a condensing component that sits on the ground outside, much like an air conditioner. Then there’s the space-saving indoor blower that mounts to the ceiling or wall.
Like a central heat pump, mini-split HVAC systems offer both heating and cooling for all-season comfort from a sole piece of equipment.
Since there’s a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, you don’t need ductwork. You can even link up to four indoor blowers with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in different spaces in your residence. A ductless mini-split might be the best HVAC system for your home addition if:
- Your existing system can’t absorb the extra space, and you’re not able to replace everything right away.
- The old and expanded rooms have varying heating and cooling needs.
- You want to add air conditioning to your home without getting or extending the ductwork.
If you need help deciding which HVAC option is best, let Aramendia Plumbing, Heating and Air provide our recommendations. We have a wealth of experience helping homeowners fine-tune their indoor comfort, with a passion for efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC systems.
We’ll start the process by conducting a load calculation to figure out your needs. Then, we can give cost breakdowns for ductwork installation and system upgrades vs. getting a ductless mini-split HVAC system. We’ll present you with all the possibilities so you can make a smart decision. To start, reach at 210-404-4233 to schedule an appointment right away!