Service & Maintenance

Upgrade, Extend Or Add To Your HVAC System For A Second-Story Addition

Upgrade, Extend Or Add To Your HVAC System For A Second-Story Addition

Are you planning to construct a second-story addition on your house? Have you given thought as to how you will handle its heating and cooling needs? When developing an HVAC system for this new space in your Greater Tulsa Metropolitan home, there are three options available.Professional evaluation is neededThe first thing you must realize is that the choice might not be entirely up to you. Perhaps your current HVAC system isn't capable of delivering conditioned air efficiently to your second-story addition, or maybe the new area is too far from your ductwork. What you'll need to do is have an HVAC professional conduct an energy evaluation. Once that's finished, he'll be able to provide you with a recommendation.Three optionsOne option might be to extend the HVAC system that you already have. This is often the easiest choice, but only if your unit has the capacity to maintain the new space and isn't more than ten years old. Also keep in mind that you will need to make sure your home's ductwork is sealed and insulated throughout.Another possible choice would be to switch out your current system with an upgraded version. Although this might be a bit costly, you'll be able to utilize a more energy-efficient model. This is a common choice when the house's HVAC system is either too old or not powerful enough to handle the heating and cooling requirements of the second-story addition.And finally, you may need to install a stand-alone system, especially if this new space isn't close enough to the ductwork's main trunk. One advantage of this is being able to utilize a different type of system altogether, one that is more energy efficient. For example, you may decide on a hydronic or high-velocity system for this new area. Or you could install a ductless system, which has increased in popularity over the years.For more expert advice about your HVAC system to a second-story addition, or for questions relating to home comfort, please contact the friendly professionals at Air Assurance. We have been serving the Greater Tulsa Metropolitan area since 1985.Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock