Guide to Heating & Cooling Older Homes
Older homes have many appeals.
Their stunning architecture, unique structure or even the history attached to the home can motivate homeowners to purchase an older home. While these, and many more perks, make older home ownership an exciting experience, deciding how to heat and cool your older Alabama home can be a challenge.
This is because many older homes were built when indoor air conditioning was not the standard. Therefore, they lack the ductwork needed to run modern systems typical in newer homes. When looking to install this ductwork, you run the risk of high costs or damages to the original woodwork. Plus, many older houses simply lack the space needed for these ducts.
Luckily, Garrison & Garrison can give you some alternative options for heating and cooling your older Alabama home.
Options For Cooling Your Older Home
Ductless Mini-Split HVAC
A ductless AC unit is valuable for many reasons, including, as the name indicates, its ductless nature. Instead, the system consists of an outdoor heat pump along with air handlers running through each room that can be mounted on the wall or even within the ceiling.
This design allows the exterior unit to directly air condition each room in your house via a line set running between the air handlers. The line set is installed with a small hole cut through the wall where it runs between units. In order to uphold the aesthetics of this area, products to cover these lines are available.
One of the greatest benefits of this system type is the individualized control over the temperature in each area of your home. All air handlers have independent controls so you can adjust the temperature based on room usage, saving both energy and decreasing your electrical bill simultaneously.
High-Velocity HVAC Systems
High-Velocity systems similarly accommodate the issues of installing large, unsightly ducts through your older Alabama home. However, instead of using a line set like the Ductless Mini-Split HVAC, they use mini-ducts which are much smaller than standard ducts.
Mini-ducts are only ~3 inches in diameter and can be installed over ceilings and through walls with much less disruption to the original architecture. Plus, their vents are significantly smaller than standard vents so they reduce the disruption of your home’s aesthetic that many come with the installation of a larger duct system.
Options for Heating Your Older Home
In addition to cooling, the solutions offered above are some of the best ways to heat older Alabama homes. However, the heating units common in many older homes are radiator heating systems due to their commonality in the 1900s. We recommend these replacements to heat your home more efficiently.
Higher Efficiency Radiator Units
Technology has been improved significantly over the past few decades. Consequently, depending on the age of your present radiator unit, it might benefit you to upgrade to a newer unit. If you’re unsure about the state of your radiator unit, we recommend scheduling a consultation on our website, https://garrisonandgarrison.com/, or by calling us at 256-859-8500.
Modulating-condensing boilers
If one of our technicians finds your in-room radiators to be functioning well, they can be used in tandem with a newer modulating-condensing boiler to heat the home thoroughly. One of the greater benefits of this boiler type is its energy efficiency. It drastically cuts energy usage minimizing your cost and environmental impact.
However, it is important to note this is only one factor in determining the energy-efficiency of your home’s heating system. Proper installation of your system is crucial, and so is its maintenance.
So if you’re looking for a trusted HVAC dealer in the Madison County area, look no further than Garrison & Garrison. We understand that navigating all the different options for heating and cooling your home can be overwhelming. So feel free to reach out to a professional for guidance and a free estimate when looking to replace your heating and/or cooling system!
We’ve been serving the Huntsville, Alabama area for 45 years and look forward to helping keep your home comfortable and efficient for many years to come. We urge you to contact us at 256-859-8500 or visit our website https://garrisonandgarrison.com/, today!
Garrison & Garrison Heating and Air is fully licensed and insured serving Madison County, Alabama and surrounding areas.
