Should You Get Central Air Or A Ductless System If Your Home Doesn't Have Ductwork?
Living in a hot climate without air conditioning in your home can be miserable and bad for you if you have health problems, and luckily there are options to combat the heat. If your home has ductwork in it, tying a central AC system to it will be fairly simple, but what about a home that does not have any ductwork? If your home has boiler heat and does not have central AC, it probably does not have ductwork. Fortunately, you could still get a central AC system installed, or you could have a ductless AC system put in. Here are several things to know about these options.
What Is The Difference Between These Two Systems?
A central AC system is just like a furnace, except that it cools air instead of warming it. Once it is cooled, it is pushed through the ductwork and into the home through register vents. It is controlled by a thermostat located in a room in the home, and it can be connected to one or more zones. Each zone allows you to control the temperature of a certain area in the home with a separate thermostat.
A ductless AC system operates in a different way and does not require ductwork. With a ductless system, you will have one or more wall systems in your home. Each of these will be connected to an outdoor compressor, and the cold air will come directly out of the wall unit. You can control each wall unit with the dials on it, and each unit will only cool one area of your home. If you have ever stayed in a hotel, a ductless system is like the type you would see in your hotel room.
What Would Be Involved With Each Option?
If your home does not have ductwork, you could still get a central AC system; however, ductwork would be needed. Installing ductwork in an existing home is possible, but it will take some work. The company installing it would have to create a plan for this, and it would likely involve placing the ductwork in the basement, walls, and attic space. This can be a messy job in many cases, because it usually requires ripping out drywall in order to access the insides of the walls.
Because this can be a big job, many people prefer ductless systems when their homes do not have ductwork in them. With a ductless system, there is no need for ductwork. The only work that is needed is making a hole in the wall for the system. The system is then tied to the outdoor compressor. The downside to this option is that you may need multiple wall units, and these units take up wall space.
Which Option Would Be More Cost-Effective?
Both types of systems can provide efficient cooling for a home, but you should understand that getting a ductless system may cost more money. In fact, a ductless system may cost around 30% more than putting in a central AC system, and that is based on a house that already has ductwork in it. If your home does not have ductwork, the costs might be around the same price.
One benefit you will receive through a ductless system is better control over the temperature in each room of your home, especially if your home has only one zone in it.
Both options are effective ways to cool a house, but one might be better for your needs and price range. If you are interested in learning more about either of these options, contact a company that offers AC installation services today.
