HVAC is often among the most significant challenges of home additions and other major remodeling projects. Many homeowners overcome those obstacles with a mini-split system. A mini-split is a ductless HVAC system. It has an outdoor condenser unit that connects to one or more indoor units. The inside units house the blowers, evaporator coils, and condensate drainage. You can locate those indoor units as needed and run the lines to the outdoor unit. Let’s explore why this approach is perfect for home additions and other sizable home improvement projects.
No Ductwork Required
Traditional HVAC systems require ductwork, and ducts are a key challenge with any home addition. There are a couple of different approaches. You can expand the existing duct network to the new area of the house. The alternative is to install self-contained ductwork for the addition. In either case, installing ducts can be expensive and time-consuming. You must also plan the design and construction of the home addition around the ducts, and that can increase costs. Installing a mini-split will generally be simpler and less expensive. These systems inherently support separate zones, and you can plan the HVAC unit around the home addition’s design. Have as many individual zones as needed, and run lines from those zones to a central outdoor location.
Flexible Installation
Mini-splits allow for flexible installation, and they can save space even though they require individual indoor units. The usual requirement is running a 3-inch conduit from the indoor units to the outdoor unit. That installation is relatively straightforward most of the time. In scenarios where it isn’t, manufacturers offer many adapters and other solutions.
The conduit can house all electrical wiring, refrigerant cables, and condensate drain lines. That allows you to compartmentalize everything related to the indoor HVAC unit. There’s no need, for instance, to have a separate drip pan, wet switch, and drain line. Typically, condensation will drain from the indoor unit to outside the house through gravity. If that isn’t possible with your home addition, then the installer can add a pump that forces the condensate drainage.
Indoor Unit Configurations
Homeowners can choose from various form factors and installation configurations for their indoor units. Wall-mounted units are the most prevalent choice because they’re generally the cheapest option. They’re also compact, and homeowners can install them near the ceiling to conserve even more useful wall real estate.
Ceiling units are a popular alternative. The standard cassette unit sits flush with the ceiling, which provides a streamlined aesthetic. Suspended units are an option when installing directly to the ceiling isn’t viable. There are also dropdown cassettes. Dropdown models have vents on all four sides, which makes them ideal for large, open living spaces.
Some areas of a home may not have much wall or ceiling space. This is a common problem with finished basements and attics. For these scenarios, there are floor models that you can install against a wall or with no additional support at all.
Year-Round Comfort
There are two core types of mini-splits: air conditioners and heat pumps. You’ll often see the former referred to as ductless ACs and cooling-only mini-splits. Mini-split heat pumps are similar, but they have a reversing valve that lets the refrigeration process cycle in the other direction. In other words, they provide cooling and heating. A mini-split is an ideal way to deliver standalone or auxiliary heating to a home addition. In standalone scenarios, ductless mini-splits often have electric resistive heating strips to provide aux heating.
Quiet Operation and Airflow Direction
Another potential challenge with home additions is that the HVAC equipment is often close to the living space. This brings up some additional considerations. If the system is loud, it can disrupt the space, especially if it’s a bedroom or home theater. Ductless systems are inherently quieter because there’s no rumbling as air moves through the sheet metal. Most mini-splits operate at between 20 and 30 decibels, which is comparable to a library. Many units also have quiet modes that can lower the noise output even more.
With airflow, the concern is generally air blowing directly on people. Most systems have adjustable louvers that let you direct the airflow. There are also models with sensors and mechanical louvers. These mini-splits can automatically adjust the airflow to keep it off people. You can also set it to keep it on you, which is nice for workout areas.
Zoned Climate Control
A large home addition may be too complex for a single indoor unit. The rooms may have different cooling and heating needs as well. You may, for example, want to keep the guest bedroom and bathroom cooler than the living room and kitchen. This is all possible with a mini-split. You can have as many zones as needed as well as zones of different sizes and scopes.
Central HVAC Integration
You can integrate a mini-split with a home’s central HVAC system. Homeowners often do this as a less expensive way of upgrading to zone control. When adding a mini-split for a home addition, you can easily expand it to the main home. You could, for instance, add an indoor unit to the master bedroom and other bedrooms. That would let you enjoy a cool sleeping temperature while maintaining a more efficient temperature elsewhere throughout the home.
Energy Efficiency
Mini-splits are also an excellent choice for home additions because they’re among the most efficient HVAC systems. They’re perfect for heating and cooling discrete living areas. Mini-splits offer some of the highest seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) and heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF) ratings. SEER indicates efficiency over a cooling season, while HSPF indicates efficiency over a heating season. In both cases, the higher the rating, the less electricity that unit consumes.
Due to these high SEER and HSPF ratings, most mini-splits earn ENERGY STAR certification from the EPA. That label provides consumers with peace of mind but other benefits as well. There are tax credits, rebates, and other energy incentives available that can help offset some of your installation costs. Most of these offers require you to purchase and install an ENERGY STAR system.
Remote Access and Control
Mini-split manufacturers typically include a remote control with each indoor unit. Wi-Fi is a prevalent feature that’s highly recommended for home additions. Most mini-split brands offer an app, too. That lets you control your indoor units from your phone, which means you don’t have to be in the home addition to check or adjust the temperature. You can even check it from your office at work or while on vacation. Many homeowners opt to add a smart thermostat as well. That lets you benefit from advanced features, such as scheduling and energy monitoring. You can even wire it so that you can control the mini-split from the home’s main thermostat.
Ductless Mini-Split Installation in the Southeast
Swift Brothers is an HVAC company that has served residential and commercial customers since 1983. We have multiple locations across four states, including Marietta, GA, Charlotte, NC, Rock Hill, SC, and Jacksonville, FL. Our technicians install all mini-split makes and models. We can configure these systems to your unique needs and offer ancillary services, including smart thermostat installation. Contact us today to schedule an on-site installation consultation.