Is It Necessary to Get a New HVAC System for a Home Addition?
Whether you’re putting on a second family room, a guest area or growing the kitchen, having additional square footage in your residence is sure to be convenient. Just don’t forget to consider the heating and cooling requirements of the new area. One of those factors should include whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Birmingham. Our instructions will help you as you take the first step in the process.
Option 1: No Upgrade Required
If the home addition includes expanding a room as opposed to putting on completely new rooms, you may not need to enhance the HVAC system at all. This is usually the case if your heating and cooling units were oversized to begin with. Get a load calculation from a pro technician, such as one from Norrell Service Experts by calling 205-267-0023. This will determine if your present HVAC setup can take on the changes you’ve made to your home.
Option 2: Replace Your HVAC System
Another solution for getting heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to add on to the ductwork from your existing forced-air equipment. If you use radiators or baseboard heating, you can lengthen hot water piping to the new space.
Be mindful that, in addition to ductwork or water piping, you may also have to install HVAC equipment to handle the increased load. The subsequent increase in electricity usage could even need an electrical panel upgrade. If your heating and cooling system requires a replacement soon, this may be a good option.
Option 3: Install a Ductless Mini-Split
Instead of getting a new unit to handle the additional area, you can put in a stand-alone one. Ductless mini-splits are ideal for this. They use two parts. There’s a condensing component that is installed on the ground near your home, similar to an air conditioner. Then there’s the space-saving indoor blower that is placed against the ceiling or wall.
Akin to a central heat pump, mini-split HVAC systems deliver both heating and cooling for continual comfort from a sole solution.
Since it links with a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, no ductwork is required. You can even link up to four indoor blowers with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in differing parts of your house. A ductless mini-split may be the best HVAC option for your home addition if:
- Your existing system can’t take on the additional area, and you’re not able to replace everything right now.
- The old and additional rooms have different heating and cooling needs.
- You would like to add air conditioning to your residence without installing or adding on to the ductwork.
If you need help determining which HVAC option is a good match, let Norrell Service Experts offer our suggestions. We have a wealth of experience helping homeowners adjust their indoor comfort, with a dedication to efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC options.
We’ll get started by doing a load calculation to learn your needs. Then, we can give cost listings for ductwork installation and system upgrades vs. installing a ductless mini-split HVAC system. We’ll present you with all the solutions so you can make a wise decision. To start, reach at 205-267-0023 to schedule an appointment now!
