Whether you’re adding a second family room, a guest suite or growing the kitchen, having more square footage in your house is sure to be convenient. Just don’t forget to think about the heating and cooling requirements of the new area. One of those considerations should involve whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Kitchener. Our guide will help you as you begin the process.
Option 1: No Upgrade Necessary
If the home addition calls for enlarging a space instead of adding totally new rooms, you may not need to improve the HVAC system at all. This is usually the situation if your heating and cooling system was too big originally. Schedule a load calculation from a pro technician, such as one from Boehmers/Cronin Emery Home Services by Enercare by calling 519-804-1617. This will determine if your present HVAC system can manage the changes you’ve made to your residence.
Option 2: Upgrade Your HVAC System
Another solution for delivering heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to extend the ductwork from your existing forced-air equipment. If you use radiators or baseboard heating, you can add hot water piping to the new area.
Be mindful that, along with ductwork or water piping, you may also have to put in HVAC equipment to manage the bigger load. The resulting increase in electricity usage may even call for an electrical panel upgrade. If your heating and cooling system needs to be replaced soon, this might be a good option.
Option 3: Install a Ductless Mini-Split
Rather than installing a new system to handle the added area, you can put in an independent one. Ductless mini-splits are great for this. They consist of two parts. There’s a condensing unit that sits on a slab outside, similar to an air conditioner. Then there’s the sleek indoor blower that is placed on the ceiling or wall.
Like a central heat pump, mini-split HVAC systems deliver both heating and cooling for all-season comfort from a single solution.
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 differing areas in your home. A ductless mini-split might be the ideal HVAC solution for your home addition if:
- Your existing system can’t take on the additional space, and you’re not prepared to replace everything today.
- The old and expanded additions have varying heating and cooling needs.
- You would like to add air conditioning to your residence without getting or adding on to the ductwork.
If you need help determining which HVAC option is best, let Boehmers/Cronin Emery Home Services by Enercare offer our advice. We have a lot of experience helping homeowners adjust their indoor comfort, with a dedication to efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC options.
We’ll get started by conducting a load calculation to figure out your needs. Then, we can provide cost breakdowns for ductwork installation and system upgrades vs. putting in a ductless mini-split HVAC system. We’ll give you all the solutions so you can make an informed decision. To begin, contact us at 519-804-1617 to schedule an appointment now!