Do I Need to Upgrade My HVAC System for a Home Addition?
Whether you’re building a second family room, a guest space or enlarging the kitchen, having additional square footage in your home is sure to prove useful. Just remember to consider the heating and cooling needs of the new space. One of those factors should incorporate whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Champaign. Our guide will help you as you take the first step in the process.
Option 1: No Upgrade Necessary
If the home addition includes enlarging a room instead of building completely new rooms, you may not need to upgrade the HVAC system at all. This is most likely the situation if your heating and cooling system was too big to begin with. Book a load calculation from an Expert technician, such as one from Chief/Bauer Service Experts by calling 217-689-2469. This will figure out if your present HVAC setup can manage the modifications you’ve made to your home.
Option 2: Replace Your HVAC System
Another option for bringing heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to lengthen the ductwork from your existing forced-air system. If you have radiators or baseboard heating, you can add hot water piping to the new room.
Be mindful that, adding ductwork or water piping, you might also have to put in HVAC equipment to handle the increased load. The ensuing increase in electricity usage might even need an electrical panel upgrade. If your heating and cooling system requires a replacement soon, this might be perfectly acceptable.
Option 3: Add a Ductless Mini-Split
Rather than upgrading your existing unit to handle the added space, you can add a stand-alone one. Ductless mini-splits are ideal for this. They use two parts. There’s a condensing unit that is installed on a slab outdoors, akin to an air conditioner. Then there’s the space-saving indoor blower that mounts on the ceiling or wall.
Akin to a central heat pump, mini-split HVAC systems offer both heating and cooling for continuous comfort from a single solution.
Since it uses a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, ductwork isn’t necessary. You can even link up to four indoor units with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in different areas in your residence. A ductless mini-split could be the ideal HVAC system for your home addition if:
- Your existing system can’t absorb the extra square footage, and you’re not prepared to replace every part right away.
- The old and new additions have differing heating and cooling needs.
- You want to add air conditioning to your house without installing or lengthening the ductwork.
If you need help figuring out which HVAC option is ideal, let Chief/Bauer Service Experts give our recommendations. We have a lot of experience helping homeowners adjust their indoor comfort, with a commitment to efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC solutions.
Let us start by performing a load calculation to figure out 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 options so you can make an informed decision. To start, call at 217-689-2469 to schedule an appointment now!
