Maximizing Comfort and Efficiency: The Case for Adding a Second HVAC System to Your Home Addition
Expanding your home with an addition is a costly, yet necessary endeavor for a lot of Toronto home owners who have growing families or space needs. However, one crucial consideration often overlooked is how a home addition will affect your home's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. While it may seem convenient to extend your existing HVAC ductwork to cover heating and cooling needs for the new space, adding a second and dedicated HVAC system for the addition can offer numerous benefits. In this article, we'll outline why adding a second HVAC system to your home addition project might become a huge benefit to your newly-constructed home in Toronto (and beyond).
When to add a second HVAC system to your Home Addition
There are specific scenarios that make the process of installing a second HVAC system for your home addition more feasible. Many times this idea is born from the need to keep certain areas of the home (most often the basement) intact to keep the overall costs of the home addition project as low as possible. When you remove the need to rework the existing ductwork for an HVAC system (which usually has to be sized larger than what is existing to allow for the additional spaces to be heated/cooled properly) you remove a lot of deconstruction and reconstruction of existing areas of your home, which allows you to focus your budget on the home addition itself. Usually, when clients are looking to keep their basement intact (or reduce the spending in the basement) the first idea we have is to add a second HVAC system to serve the new area. If the clients have recently upgraded their HVAC equipment (furnace or Air Conditioner) we also take this into consideration as well.
Improved Comfort and Temperature Control
One of the main advantages of installing a secondary HVAC system for your home addition is enhanced comfort and temperature control. By having a separate system serving just the new addition we can ensure that the newly constructed space’s comfort and temperature can be controlled with a high degree of accuracy. What this means is you have a new addition that can have a very tightly controlled temperature and won’t be subject to the readings of a thermostat in a separate area of the house. Specifically with second or third level additions there is always a temperature difference when you go from the main floor to the second floor (and even to the third floor). Having the secondary system allows you to control the localized temperature changes in your home which will lead to way more comfort. Especially on those hot summer days, you are going to be glad you have a separate thermostat on the top floor of your home!
Customized Zoning and Flexibility
Another benefit of having two HVAC systems for two separate areas of your home is the ability to create customized zoning/temperatures. With separate systems, you can divide your home into zones based on usage patterns and individual comfort preferences. Want your second-floor bedrooms to be chilly when you sleep but have your main floor at room temperature? With two separate HVAC systems, you will be able to accomplish this! This zoning flexibility allows for more precise temperature control in different areas of your home, ensuring that each space remains comfortable without wasting energy on heating or cooling unoccupied rooms or spaces.
Note too that creating a zoning system from a single furnace/air conditioner system is possible with some additional controls/ductwork, so if you are completing a complete overhaul of your HVAC system with your home addition, home renovation, or new home build we will be able to help you design and install a system that will allow you to control the temperatures from different levels of your home. The only snag with creating HVAC zones with a single system is that you will not be able to have the heating and cooling running in different areas of the homes at different times (for example if it is really sunny in the Spring and the cooling is needed for the second floor but the basement doesn’t need it). This is why, for ultimate comfort, it makes sense to have separate HVAC systems for different levels of your home (if budget allows).
Potential Cost Savings Versus Redoing existing ductwork
As we alluded to above, there are potential cost-savings associated with having a secondary system, especially if the existing HVAC system is operating well and the equipment is relatively new. Most times when we are doing home additions they are to bungalows but the same rule applies to two-storey homes looking to complete a third level. Most of the time there is existing ductwork serving the existing areas of the home. If that ductwork is working well and the existing HVAC system is updated, you can reallocate your HVAC budget for your home addition to buy a new (and usually smaller) unit for the new space versus rebuying HVAC equipment to take the place of your already-existing (and well-working) HVAC equipment. With the savings from not having to completely redo your ductwork you will usually be able to save money by installing a smaller HVAC system to serve your new extension. Most of the time we install a cold-climate heat pump that can both heat and cool the new addition space and also be concealed into closets or lowered ceilings very easily.
Drawbacks and Additional Considerations
While adding a second HVAC system offers numerous benefits, there are also some potential drawbacks and considerations that should be mentioned before you decide if this option is right for you.
Initial Cost: Installing a second HVAC system represents an upfront investment, including equipment, labor, and installation costs. However, this expense may be less than redoing your entire existing HVAC system depending on the age of your existing equipment, and the increased comfort you will have with a second system will definitely warrant the investment.
Space Requirements: Adding a second HVAC system may require allocating space for additional equipment, such as an outdoor condenser unit and indoor air handler or furnace. Ensure that your home addition design accounts for these space requirements and make sure you work with a knowledgeable General Contractor to determine what options you have at your disposal. Our personal favourite is the ceiling-concealed Mitsubishi air handlers that can be easily concealed into closets and lowered ceilings.
Maintenance and Servicing: Managing two HVAC systems will mean additional maintenance and oversight but as long as you understand how the units work and regularly change the filters you should not have many issues with the existing or new HVAC equipment.
Conclusion
With our knowledge of HVAC systems and having evaluated dozens of home addition projects we can evaluate your existing HVAC system to determine if adding a secondary system makes sense for your specific home addition project. Every project is different but the goal is always the same - find the best value per dollar for every project. This is one method we have successfully used to get the most value out of a project, and if you are interested in seeing if it is right for your home addition project feel free to contact us at contact@bvmcontracting.com.
About BVM COntracting
BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations (kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, basement renovations, full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, new home construction, multi-unit renovations, garden suite construction, and laneway suite construction). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of renovating their home, from concept to completion.
Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.
To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.