How To Heat And Cool Your New Home Addition
A home addition can add a wonderful amount of space to your house, but it also comes with a challenge. How are you going to heat and cool this new space? Here is a look at three of the main options along with their pros and cons.
1. Connect the Addition to Your Central HVAC System
If you have a central HVAC system, you can connect your addition to this system. The main advantage of this option is familiarity. You don't have to learn how to use any new equipment. You can heat and cool this area with the same thermostat you use for the rest of your home.
The disadvantage, however, is the work and expense involved. You will need to pay an HVAC tech to extend your existing ductwork so that it reaches the addition. Ideally, this should be completed while you are building the addition. Then, you will also need to put in new HVAC equipment.
Keep in mind that your existing equipment is designed to support the capacity of your existing home. It isn't large enough to also accommodate an addition.
2. Use Window Air Conditioners and Space Heaters
Temporary solutions like space heaters and window air conditioners are perhaps the cheapest and easiest way to heat and cool your new addition. However, these options come with some downfalls. Space heaters can be risky. The older models are especially fire-prone and they may also struggle to heat a large addition.
Alternatively, you may want to put in a pellet or wood-burning stove. But those options can be messy and time-consuming.
Window ACs compromise the security of your home because they force you to leave your windows partially open during the hot summer months. They also take up time because you have to install and put them away at the beginning and end of every cooling season.
3. Opt for Ductless HVAC
A ductless HVAC unit can bring both heating and cooling to your home addition. This option does not require you to make any changes to your existing ductwork or HVAC system. It doesn't come with the time or safety issues of temporary solutions.
Other advantages include easy installation, quiet operation, and zoned controls for maximum comfort. The only potential disadvantage of a ductless HVAC unit is the cost. These units are an investment into your home.
To get more ideas on the best way to heat and cool your new addition, contact an HVAC specialist today. They can answer your questions and help you find the best option for your needs and budget.
Contact a company, such as Central York Corp, for help.
