Building an addition to your Lorain home can open up a lot of possibilities, and keeping the addition comfortable throughout the year should be part of your initial planning. There are several different approaches to cooling your new home addition, and following are three general options.
Add More Ductwork
If your current HVAC system is sized large enough and your current duct layout supports it, a professional can simply run ductwork to the new addition. However, you may have to re-balance the airflow in the ducts by adjusting the dampers between branches.
If you’ve recently performed significant upgrades to your home’s thermal envelope, you may be in a better position to extend your existing system because the cooling needs of your entire home have been reduced.
Upgrade Your Current System
It may be that your existing system simply doesn’t have the cooling load to handle an addition. If you still want to control your home’s heating through a central system, you’ll need to upgrade to a more powerful central A/C. Always make sure to speak with an HVAC professional who’s familiar with HVAC system sizing.
Install a New System Just for the Addition
Ductless mini splits are one option to heat and cool an addition. They consist of small inside units, each of which controls the temperature for a single room or small group of rooms. This means that you don’t need to expand your ductwork or deal with the inefficiencies of a ducted system. They also reduce your heating and cooling expenses because you’re only paying for the areas you want cooled at any given time.
Whatever cooling option you choose, you should make sure to speak with your local HVAC experts to learn how it will affect your overall energy goals. To learn more about cooling your new home addition, contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about home additions and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
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Serving the Lorain, OH Area