Air Conditioning Options for a New Home Addition

Adding a room or rooms to your Fairfax home can be a major decision. It is a multi-step process with many design and cost considerations. One essential factor with a new home addition is determining options for air conditioning, and how it can be extended efficiently and effectively. It is sometimes easy to overlook the importance of incorporating air conditioning in the design of new space. A good contractor will ensure you are aware of all factors involved. The following are the air conditioning options that are generally considered for a new space.

Extend the Existing System

Extending your current A/C and air ducts into the new home addition is a logical choice. If you and your HVAC professional have determined that your existing system can handle the added square footage and cooling load, the ductwork will need to be tested for leaks, air balance, and for any other factor that will impact air flow and air conditioner efficiency. If the ducts are leaky and inefficient, you will not be able to cool the new addition, even if your A/C can handle the load.

Upgrade the Air Conditioner

If your home’s cooling system is more than 10 years old, you may be better off replacing the A/C with a high-efficiency unit to cool your entire home and the new home addition. New high-efficiency air conditioners offer significant cooling savings compared with older models. The new air conditioner will pay for itself through energy savings in the long run, and you will have an efficient solution for cooling your new home addition.

Install an Independent System

Installing a cooling system, like a ductless mini-split, specifically for the new addition makes sense particularly if your current A/C is running fine, is less than 10 years old and cannot handle the added load. The additional zone will be beneficial for enhanced comfort and savings.

Asking your HVAC contractor to conduct an energy audit of your home to identify areas for efficiency improvements is also a good idea during consultation for the addition. A load calculation of your A/C system is also required if you are thinking about extending ductwork for cooling your new space.

Learn more about cooling your new home addition, and about Brennan’s Heating & Air Conditioning’s home cooling solutions, by calling us at (703) 491-2771 . We look forward to serving you!

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