Living without air conditioning in the summer can be unpleasant, but you may think that you could never have central AC because your home doesn't have ductwork. While it is easier to install central AC in a home that has existing ductwork, it is still possible for your home to get a central AC system. Here are three things you should know about this.
It Will Cost More
Because this project will involve more than just installing a central AC system, you can expect to pay more. The costs of the project will include the system itself, the labor, and materials, and the installation of the ductwork system. According to This Old House, the costs for this will be roughly $7,000 to $8,000, which is twice as much as it would cost if your house had ducts.
The contractor will help you select a system that will be sufficient for your home, and it is always better to choose one with high efficiency ratings. If you select a high-efficiency AC system, it will not cost as much for you to use it.
Decide Where You Want The Air
One of the things you will have to decide is whether you want the AC in the entire home or just part of it. You do not have to run the ductwork inside every room in your home; however, you have the chance to do it now, so you may want to.
If you have a two-story house and never use the upstairs, you may decide that it would be more cost-effective to run the AC only in the main floor. While this theory is fine for now, you may want to consider the effects this would have if you try to sell your house in the future. Having an upstairs without AC might not be a favorable condition to potential buyers.
Allow The Contractor To Fully Examine Your House
While you may have some say in where the ductwork is placed, it will be up to the contractor to truly figure out a good plan for it. This can be the tricky part in some homes, and it may take away from some of the living space you have, but it is necessary because central AC systems transport cold air into rooms through air ducts.
The contractor will typically look for dead areas in a house to use for this, which could be closets or storage areas. The contractor will utilize as much space as possible for the ductwork in areas like this, but there is a chance that he may also need to place some of the ducts in rooms in your home.
If this is necessary, you may encounter additional charges. This occurs because when the ducts are placed in rooms, the contractor will have to build walls around them. Drywall must then be added to the walls, and the final step will be to paint them. This will take extra time and work, and that is why the contractor may charge you extra.
In addition to installing ductwork in your home, the contractor will also need to add a return air vent system. This is used to send air from the rooms in your home back to the central AC system. As the central air is on, cold air is forced into the rooms. The hot, existing air is pulled out through the return vents.
Having central AC is a great thing to have in a home, and it is possible even if your home does not currently have ducts in it. To learn more about this, contact a company that offers central air conditioning installation and services, such as HomeSmart From Xcel Energy.
Share28 May 2015
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