Whether you’re adding a second family room, a guest suite or enlarging the kitchen, having extra square footage in your home is sure to be convenient. Just remember to think about the heating and cooling requirements of the new space. One of those considerations should incorporate whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Niagara Falls. Our instructions will help you as you take the first step in the process.
Option 1: No Upgrade Necessary
If the home addition calls for enlarging an area instead of building completely new rooms, you may not need to upgrade the HVAC system at all. This is usually the situation if your heating and cooling system was too big originally. Get a load calculation from a pro technician, like one from Niagara Home Services by Enercare by calling 289-273-2229. This will decide if your existing HVAC equipment can take on the modifications you’ve made to your residence.
Option 2: Install a New HVAC System
Another option for bringing heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to extend the ductwork from your existing forced-air equipment. If you have radiators or baseboard heating, you can lengthen hot water piping to the new space.
Be mindful that, along with ductwork or water piping, you could also have to put in HVAC equipment to take care of the higher load. The following increase in electricity consumption could even need an enhanced electrical panel. If your heating and cooling system needs to be replaced soon, this may be a good solution.
Option 3: Get a Ductless Mini-Split
Rather than installing a new equipment to handle the added square footage, you can get a stand-alone one. Ductless mini-splits are perfect for this. They use two parts. There’s a condensing system that sits on a slab near your home, similar to an air conditioner. Then there’s the compact indoor blower that mounts to the ceiling or wall.
Like a central heat pump, mini-split HVAC systems provide both heating and cooling for continuous comfort from a single setup.
Since it has a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, no ductwork is required. You can even link up to four indoor air handlers with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in differing parts of your residence. A ductless mini-split could be the ideal HVAC system for your home addition if:
- Your present system can’t take on the additional square footage, and you’re not ready to replace every part today.
- The old and expanded spaces have different heating and cooling needs.
- You are looking to add air conditioning to your house without putting in or extending the ductwork.
If you need help deciding which HVAC option is right for you, let Niagara Home Services by Enercare offer our advice. We have years of experience helping homeowners adjust their indoor comfort, with a passion for efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC solutions.
Let us start by doing a load calculation to determine 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 solutions so you can make a smart decision. To start, call at 289-273-2229 to schedule an appointment today!