Central air conditioning has become the standard for current homes, or at least homes in places that get as warm as Southern California. If you live in an older home that doesn’t have central air conditioning and instead relies on window units to provide cooling, you may believe that it’s either impossible or too expensive to have a central air conditioning system put in.
However, this type of installation isn’t as difficult, or as costly, as it may seem at first. Much of it depends on your home and the options you choose for air conditioning it.
Adding AC to a forced-air heating system
If your home already has ducts because of a forced-air furnace, then adding central air conditioning is a job that technicians can handle in only around 2 to 3 days. There may be some need to alter the ductwork to account for the new AC, but it won’t be extensive. The cost shouldn’t be prohibitive either.
Retro-fitting for ductwork
Experienced technicians know ways to retro-fit ducts into a home that has no ductwork at all. This can involve hiding the ducts behind walls or in spots such as in the attic or in the back of walls. If you have the right people for the job, this will require only a small amount of opening up walls and disruption to the house. It will, however, take longer than for a home with a pre-existing forced-air heating system.
Ductless mini split systems
Another option that many homeowners choose is to have a ductless mini split system installed instead of a standard ducted central AC. Ductless mini splits operate using wall-mounted air handlers placed in different rooms, each of which hooks up to a single outdoor unit to exhaust the heat. Ask your installer if a ductless AC is a good alternative for your home.
Kilowatt Heating, Air Conditioning and Electrical serves Sherman Oaks, CA. We’ve offered great comfort solutions in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley since 1990.