What to Think About Before Adding a Home Addition
If you’re thinking about an add-on to your house, one of your major considerations will be how to condition the air in the new home addition. You have some options, so consider carefully.
Extend Your Current HVAC System
You will need to have your HVAC consultant do some calculations, using the HVAC industry software Manual J to see if your current HVAC system has enough capacity to heat and cool your addition. If your conditioned air is delivered by ductwork from this system, the ducts will have to be extended. Your consultant will use Manual D to determine how much ductwork you will need, and what volume of air it needs to handle to heat and cool the new space.
Your consultant will also have to determine if the new space can accommodate the ductwork. It will probably need to be extended through an attic, basement or through a chase.
Install an Additional HVAC System
Sometimes it may work out better to add a separate HVAC system for the addition, particularly if your current HVAC can’t handle the extra load. Ductwork will obviously have to be installed for this separate system, so take that into account.
Ductless Mini Split
One of the best options for an addition is the ductless mini split. These are heat pumps that consist of an indoor air handler and an outdoor compressor/condenser, but they do not require ducts to distribute the conditioned air. Like all heat pumps, they can cool or heat. Ductless mini splits are versatile, in that the air handlers can be installed in different locations: from the ceiling, on the wall, on the floor or even free standing. And, though they are somewhat expensive, they are also efficient and don’t cost much to operate.
Other Options
Electric baseboard heating is another option, although it can be expensive to run. For air conditioning, you might want to install a window unit.
To learn more about heating and cooling your home addition, contact NisAir Air Conditioning and Heating. We serve Martin, Palm Beach and Indian River counties.
