Options for Conditioning Additional Spaces
July 25, 2023
Planning a home addition or renovation to add new space is an exciting project. In addition to designing your new space in terms of aesthetics and functionality, it’s also important to determine how you will heat and cool this new space for comfort and health. Your HVAC service expert in Columbus has the answers, advice, and products you need to condition every part of your home efficiently and enjoy the utmost in home comfort and energy savings for years to come.
Central Heating and Cooling
Central heating and air conditioning are characterized by a single furnace and air conditioner located in your home, which send conditioned air through ducts to your living spaces. If your home already employs central air, the best choice for conditioning your new space typically involves extending ductwork from your existing HVAC system into your new spaces, which can be done before the walls, ceilings, or floors are completed. However, it’s important to consider the heating and cooling capacity of your current HVAC appliances when adding extra space for them to condition during a home addition—if your home’s new square footage vastly outweighs your current appliances’ heating or cooling capacity, you may want to consider upgrading these systems during or shortly after your project for better comfort and efficiency. Alternatively, you can consider zoning your home to reduce the total area your furnace and air conditioner must service at one time, allowing you to keep the same units and even possibly improve upon their current efficiency.
Window and Portable Units
If your home doesn’t already have central heating and air, you may prefer to heat and cool a new addition with a window or portable unit. Window-mounted air-source heat pumps offer both heating and cooling via a single appliance, which can save you money and improve the convenience of conditioning your new space. Alternatively, portable or window air conditioners can provide adequate cooling for your new room during the summer, while portable electric heaters can keep the space cozy when the temperature drops.
Mini-Split Systems
If your home doesn’t have central air and you don’t prefer to use a window-mounted unit in your new space, a mini-split system could provide the perfect solution. Mini-split heat pumps and air conditioners marry the concept of central heating and cooling with the architecture of a home that doesn’t have the necessary ductwork in place. Rather than transferring heated or cooled air through your home via ducts, mini-split systems circulate refrigerant via small tubes between an outdoor and indoor unit, requiring only a single hole in your home’s exterior with a diameter of three to four inches. The indoor unit can be installed on a wall or ceiling for added versatility and is often controlled via remote control. Furthermore, a single outdoor unit can supply conditioning for multiple indoor units, allowing you to add convenient heating and cooling in more than one area of your home at once. Each indoor unit can still be operated independently for the utmost in convenience and energy savings.
Your HVAC service is here to help when it comes to planning and completing your home improvement project. You can contact an HVAC expert near you for more information about modern heating and cooling products and what they can do for your home on the web, or click through our blog to learn about heating and cooling a home of any size with improved efficiency.