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

Whether you’re building a second family room, a guest area or enlarging the kitchen, having additional square footage in your house is sure to be handy. Just remember to think about the heating and cooling necessities of the new area. One of those factors should involve whether you should upgrade your HVAC system for a home addition in Fort Lauderdale. Our guidebook will help you as you begin the process. 

Option 1: No Upgrade Needed 

If the home addition calls for growing an area rather than putting on entirely new rooms, you may not need to improve the HVAC system at all. This is most likely the situation if your heating and cooling equipment was oversized to begin with. Schedule a load calculation from a pro technician, for example one from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning by calling 954-736-4314. This will affect if your present HVAC equipment can handle the modifications you’ve made to your house. 

Option 2: HVAC System Upgrade 

Another option for getting heat and air conditioning into your home addition is to lengthen the ductwork from your current forced-air system. If you use radiators or baseboard heating, you can add hot water piping to the new area. 

Be aware that, adding ductwork or water piping, you might also have to install HVAC equipment to take care of the bigger load. The subsequent increase in electricity consumption could even need a new electrical panel. If your heating and cooling system needs to be replaced soon, this could be a good option. 

Option 3: Get a Ductless Mini-Split 

Instead of installing a new unit to handle the extra area, you can add a freestanding one.  Ductless mini-splits are ideal for this. They consist of two parts. There’s a condensing system that sits on cement near your home, akin to an air conditioner. Then there’s the sleek indoor blower that is installed to the ceiling or wall. 

Like a central heat pump, mini-split HVAC systems offer both heating and cooling for continuous comfort from one setup. 

Since it has a wall- or ceiling-mounted air handler, you don’t need ductwork. You can even join up to four indoor units with one outdoor unit for zoned heating and cooling in distinct spaces in your home. A ductless mini-split might be the right HVAC system for your home addition if: 

• Your existing system can’t absorb the extra square footage, and you’re not able to replace every part today. 
• The old and new additions have varying heating and cooling needs. 
• You are looking to add air conditioning to your home without installing or adding on to the ductwork. 

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

We’ll get started by doing a load calculation to learn your needs. Then, we can offer 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 begin, call at 954-736-4314 to schedule an appointment today!