Should You Get a New HVAC System for a Home Addition? 

Whether you’re adding a second family room, a guest suite or expanding the kitchen, having additional square footage in your home is sure to be handy. Just don’t forget to consider the heating and cooling needs of the new space. One of those factors should cover whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Fort Lauderdale. Our guidebook will help you as you take the first step in the process. 

Option 1: No Upgrade Needed 

If the home addition calls for expanding a space as opposed to putting on entirely new rooms, you may not need to enhance the HVAC system at all. This is often the instance if your heating and cooling units were oversized when they were installed. Request a load calculation from a pro technician, like one from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning by calling 954-736-4314. This will determine if your present HVAC system can handle the changes you’ve made to your home. 

Option 2: Upgrade Your HVAC System 

Another option for delivering heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to extend the ductwork from your existing forced-air unit. If you rely on radiators or baseboard heating, you can add hot water piping to the new area. 

You should know that, adding ductwork or water piping, you might also have to add HVAC equipment to take care of the higher load. The following increase in electricity consumption may even call for an electrical panel upgrade. If your heating and cooling system requires a replacement soon, this might be a good option. 

Option 3: Add a Ductless Mini-Split 

Instead of upgrading your existing equipment to cover the extra square footage, you can get a separate one.  Ductless mini-splits are great for this. They consist of two parts. There’s a condensing system that sits on cement near your home, similar to an air conditioner. Then there’s the space-saving indoor blower that mounts on the ceiling or wall. 

Akin to a central heat pump, mini-split HVAC systems provide both heating and cooling for constant comfort from a sole solution. 

Since there’s a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, you don’t need ductwork. You can even link up to four indoor blowers with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in different areas in your house. A ductless mini-split may be the right HVAC system for your home addition if: 

• Your existing system can’t take on the additional room, and you’re not prepared to replace everything today. 
• The old and additional rooms have different heating and cooling needs. 
• You want to add air conditioning to your residence without getting or extending the ductwork. 

If you need help determining which HVAC option is a good match, let Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning give our advice. We have a lot of experience helping homeowners dial in their indoor comfort, with a commitment to efficiency and eco-friendly HVAC systems. 

We’ll get started by conducting a load calculation to learn your needs. Then, we can give cost comparisons for ductwork installation and system upgrades vs. installing a ductless mini-split HVAC system. We’ll give you all the solutions so you can make a smart decision. To start, reach at 954-736-4314 to schedule an appointment now!