Air Conditioning Options For Your Home's New Bathroom Addition
Posted on: 27 May 2020
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If you and your family want access to an additional bathroom, but don't want to go to the time and expense of relocating, constructing a bathroom addition on your property can be very convenient and cost effective. However, if you live in a relatively hot climate and rely on air conditioning to keep your home cool, your new bathroom addition will also need to be properly air conditioned.
A variety of air conditioning systems and solutions can be used in bathroom additions, but choosing the best system for your specific needs can be challenging. If you are planning to install a new bathroom addition on your property, keep the following options in mind as you decide how to effectively cool your new bathroom space.
Expand Your Existing System
If your home has a centralized air conditioning system that cools multiple rooms in your home using a single condenser unit, you may be able to use this system to provide climate control in your new bathroom addition. Air conditioning installation contractors can install new air ducts and refrigerant lines in your bathroom addition and can connect them directly to your home's existing AC system.
This solution is by far the cheapest way to provide air conditioning in a new bathroom addition. While having new ducts or lines installed in your home can still be costly, you will not have to purchase any new condenser units or other expensive components, which can often cost thousands of dollars. This option will also take much less time to install in your home, minimizing disruptions and helping you save on labor costs.
However, this option is only viable if your home's existing AC system is powerful enough to cool a significant amount of additional space. Smaller bathroom additions will be easier to cool, but if you are building a larger addition or if you rely on a less powerful centralized AC unit (such as a mini-split system) this option may not be viable.
Upgrade And Expand
If your home's existing AC system is not powerful enough to cool your new bathroom addition, it may be possible to upgrade its capacity to handle the added workload. This will be more expensive than a simple system expansion, but can be significantly less expensive than purchasing a dedicated unit.
This option is generally most suitable for homeowners who use relatively modern systems to cool their homes, as recent air conditioner models tend to be more modular and easier to upgrade. You should always have your existing air conditioning system professionally inspected to ensure it is suitable for expansion.
Install A Dedicated System
Installing a brand new air conditioning system may be the only effective way to cool a new bathroom addition. This is often the case in older homes, which simply cannot handle the structural modifications and additional electrical infrastructure required to expand an existing system.
However, installing a dedicated AC system does not need to be expensive. Window and wall mounted air conditioners are inexpensive and very efficient, while portable air conditioners can be used to keep smaller bathroom additions comfortable. Once again, asking residential AC experts for advice is highly recommended.
For more information on air conditioning options for your bathroom addition, talk to a residential air conditioning installation company in your area.