If you’re moving up in the world with a second-story addition to your Los Angeles home, consider how you will provide conditioned air to your new space. It may seem like the clear answer is to extend your existing HVAC system upwards, but this may not be the best solution. Read on for how to determine if an HVAC upgrade or additional HVAC system are better choices for your home.
- An HVAC upgrade – Depending on the size of your current system, and the size of your addition, you may need to upgrade your system to a unit with a larger capacity. If your current system is big enough to handle both, but is more than 10 years old, you may also want to consider an HVAC upgrade; you may be able to service your entire home with a smaller more efficient unit.
- Installing a separate HVAC system – Depending on the location of your second-story addition in relation to your current equipment, it may be more cost effective to install an independent system. Sized according to the requirements of the addition, this independent system would be of a smaller capacity, and less expensive than a whole house system. Other options would include:
- Ductless mini-splits – These small wall-mounted units can heat or cool an area of 400 square feet without ducts, and are connected to a smaller unit outside.
- A hydronic system – Enclosed in the floor (heating) or ceiling (cooling) this system uses temperature-controlled water to condition the space.
- Building off of your existing system – If your existing equipment is less than 10 years old, and large enough to accommodate the addition, extending your existing ductwork is a great option. For maximum energy efficiency, consider zoning the new area separately, with an independent thermostat to control dampers which deliver conditioned air only when needed.
If you’re considering an HVAC upgrade or addition for your home, give us a call at Around the Clock Air Conditioning and Heating. For more than 45 years we have been serving homeowners in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Los Angeles, North Hollywood and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about HVAC Upgrades and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock