Whether you’re adding a second family room, a guest suite or growing the kitchen, having extra square footage in your residence is sure to be convenient. Just keep in mind you need to consider the heating and cooling needs of the new area. One of those points should include whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Edmonton. 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 growing a space as opposed to building totally new rooms, you may not need to enhance the HVAC system at all. This is often the situation if your heating and cooling equipment was oversized to begin with. Request a load calculation from an Expert technician, such as one from McKinley Heating Service Experts by calling 780-800-7092. This will determine if your current HVAC setup can take on the upgrades you’ve made to your residence.
Option 2: Upgrade Your HVAC System
Another idea for delivering heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to add on to the ductwork from your current forced-air equipment. If you have radiators or baseboard heating, you can add hot water piping to the new room.
Be aware that, along with ductwork or water piping, you might also have to install HVAC equipment to manage the increased load. The following increase in electricity use might even need an electrical panel upgrade. 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 system to cover the extra area, you can put in an independent one. Ductless mini-splits are ideal for this. They have two parts. There’s a condensing component that is placed on a slab near your home, akin to an air conditioner. Then there’s the space-saving indoor blower that is placed on the ceiling or wall.
Akin to a central heat pump, mini-split HVAC systems deliver both heating and cooling for year-round comfort from one system.
Since it links with a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, ductwork isn’t necessary. You can even add up to four indoor air handlers with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in distinct parts of your residence. A ductless mini-split might be the right HVAC solution for your home addition if:
- Your current system can’t handle the extra square footage, and you’re not able to replace every part right now.
- The old and new additions have different heating and cooling needs.
- You want to add air conditioning to your home without installing or extending the ductwork.
If you need help determining which HVAC option is best, let McKinley Heating Service Experts provide our recommendations. We have a wealth of experience helping homeowners dial in their indoor comfort, with a passion for efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC options.
We’ll get started by doing a load calculation to learn 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 offer you all the solutions so you can make a smart decision. To get started, call at 780-800-7092 to schedule an appointment right away!