Have you decided to install an addition to your home and aren’t sure how to cool the addition? Maybe you already have an addition that you have decided to cool. Maybe you’ve decided you would enjoy your sunroom more if it had air conditioning. Maybe you like to work in your garage and need the air conditioning. What should you do?
First thing you should do when adding an addition is speak to your certified HVAC technician from Sheer Comfort about whether your installed HVAC system can handle cooling an addition. In order for your HVAC technician at Sheer Comfort to tell you whether your system can handle an addition, they will need to do a load calculation. It might be that your system is too small and won’t be able to cool the extra square footage. Or you might have a large enough system for extra space, but the sunroom just gets way too much direct sun that your air conditioner would struggle to keep it cool and still efficiently cool the rest of your house.
If our technician determines that your current heating and air conditioning system has the capacity to cool the addition, we could potentially add new ductwork runs to cool and heat the space.
But what if you already have an addition that isn’t cooled by your current HVAC system? Your best option in this case is a ductless mini split. Read below about a ductless mini split and why it’s your best option for an addition to your home.
Ductless Mini Split System in Asheville, NC
A mini split is a ductless air conditioner that has two parts. An indoor unit that typically mounts on the wall or ceiling, and it has an outdoor unit similar to traditional HVAC systems. Although ductless units are more expensive than window AC units, they are considerably more energy efficient and only require a small opening on an exterior wall to connect the indoor and outdoor units. Check out Mitsubishi’s website for more information.
No Ductwork = Lower Energy Costs!
Because these systems do not use ductwork, they are more energy efficient than your traditional HVAC system. A traditional heating and cooling system uses ductwork to supply the heated or cooled air throughout your home. Often times your ductwork is old, leaky, and poorly designed. This causes your system to be less efficient and work harder. Ductless systems do not use ductwork, so this helps you save on energy costs and increase your comfort.
Only Heat or Cool What you Want….
They cool the room according to that particular room’s needs, which means that your sunroom that gets a lot of direct sunlight won’t impact the cooling needs of the rest of your house and cause unnecessary wear and tear on your HVAC system. Also, when the room addition is not in use, the system can be turned off……saving your money on your utility bills! Ductless mini-split systems also use less energy than your traditional system to install and start-up. All these reasons make the ductless mini-split an ideal solution to cool your home’s addition. Speak to one of our experts at Sheer Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning about which model is best for your home addition’s cooling needs. And, remember, just like it’s important to maintain a regular maintenance schedule for your HVAC system, your ductless mini-split will also need regular maintenance to ensure optimal performance and longevity.