Whether you’re adding a second family room, a guest suite or growing the kitchen, having additional square footage in your house is sure to prove useful. Just don’t forget to think about the heating and cooling necessities of the new room. One of those points should include whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Shreveport. Our instructions will help you as you take the first step in the process.
Option 1: No Upgrade Needed
If the home addition involves growing an area instead of putting on totally new rooms, you may not need to improve the HVAC system at all. This is often the case if your heating and cooling units were too big to begin with. Schedule a load calculation from a professional technician, such as one from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning by calling 318-588-8163. This will affect if your present HVAC equipment can take on the modifications you’ve made to your residence.
Option 2: HVAC System Upgrade
Another idea for getting heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to extend the ductwork from your present forced-air system. If you use radiators or baseboard heating, you can add hot water piping to the new space.
Be mindful that, along with ductwork or water piping, you may also have to put in HVAC equipment to manage the bigger load. The following increase in electricity use may even call for an enhanced electrical panel. If your heating and cooling system needs to be replaced soon, this could be perfectly acceptable.
Option 3: Add a Ductless Mini-Split
Instead of installing a new system to manage the additional square footage, you can get an independent one. Ductless mini-splits are great for this. They consist of two parts. There’s a condensing system that is installed on cement near your home, similar to an air conditioner. Then there’s the sleek indoor blower that is placed to the ceiling or wall.
Similar to a central heat pump, mini-split HVAC systems deliver both heating and cooling for all-season comfort from a single solution.
Since it includes a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, no ductwork is required. You can even add up to four indoor air handlers with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in differing parts of your home. A ductless mini-split could be the best HVAC solution for your home addition if:
- Your existing system can’t handle the added room, and you’re not prepared to replace everything right now.
- The old and additional spaces have varying heating and cooling needs.
- You would like to add air conditioning to your house without getting or lengthening the ductwork.
If you need help figuring out which HVAC option is a good match, let Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning provide our advice. We have a lot of experience helping homeowners dial in their indoor comfort, with a dedication to efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC solutions.
Let us start by performing a load calculation to learn your needs. Then, we can give cost listings 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 wise decision. To start, reach at 318-588-8163 to schedule an appointment now!