Do you want to add central air conditioner to an older home or an existing heating system? Well there are some issues that you should concern carefully to get a successful result. The ductwork is usually relatively smaller than the required ductwork for air conditioning if there is existing older heating system. The fan speed to compensate for ductwork must be more powerful to produce higher flow rate! Therefore the larger motor is needed to increase the flow rate. Even the supply ductwork must be replaced if necessary in extreme cases.

In many cases, older homes usually don’t have the installation of the return-air registers, especially on the second floor of a two-story home! On other hand, it is so important and closely associated to the comfort of cooling system. Therefore consider it carefully because the system cannot cool the second story without the right location of the return-air ductwork! Then don’t forget to look at a floor drain, particularly below the furnace level. As well we know that natural air cooling process of all air conditioning systems will produce water condensate (byproduct of removing moisture from air). It must be drained well with the right design of a floor drain. But we can choose to use a small-practical condensate pump set if we cannot provide & install the right floor drain below the level of our furnace. The condensate pump can be installed with approximately $65 and will be effective idea to pump the condensate to the right disposal site.

What else to look for to add central air conditioner to an older house or an existing heating system:

Choose the right design!

Installing central air conditioner system in homes that are 60 years old or more requires several special requirements that you should consider as well. Balloon-construction is one of popular methods to fit vents in thick walls by fire breaks! Another option is radiator-heated houses that are so recommended if you want to reduce costs from the efficient installation without tearing into walls (old walls).

Then ductless or mini-ductless air conditioning system is great idea if there is important to keep the walls intact. Other options, you can choose to use more efficient systems but requires more costs such as by pumping the cooling liquid in each room with an air box system that has a central circulator fan in every room of the house, or by using high speed of forced air system or an effective small ductwork system.

For the more detailed information about the right system for your older home, you can contact and discuss to a local HVAC contractor. Make sure you choose one that has a qualified training program and NATE certification from ACCA (the Air Conditioning Contractors of America)!

Working with more efficient system!

Cooling activities during summer require a huge amount of energy that will spend a lot of money on paying the energy bill for each month. So consider other alternatives that can save more energy and will make the air conditioning system work more efficient (consume less energy). Make sure and ask to your HVAC contractor that the system uses the new efficient technology. The cooling capacity (size) of the system must be equivalent to the large space that will be cooled (the size must be based & considered on usage, any changes in ductwork, and efficiency ratings).

If the budget permits, it is better to consult to your HVAC contractor for adding & installing heat pump. Analyzes the air movement in your old home and you can install fans if necessary for better ventilation so thus the new HVAC system will work much more efficient, because most of older homes were usually constructed and designed not for air condition but to ventilate. And make sure all alternatives to support the performance of the new HVAC system are based and qualified on the local codes in your area. In addition, you also use additional units such as window air conditioning units or windowless units (portable air conditioners) to complement the new HVAC system during summer.

Efficiency is priority!

There are some energy-saving strategies to look for in installing & adding air conditioner to an older home:

1. When installing insulation, consider higher R-factor layer to make sure you get the high quality of insulation.
2. Like mentioned before, old building usually is built not for air condition but to easily ventilate. By applying insulation & retrofitting projects will be useful to pay off for the winter as well as the summer on paying the utility bills.
3. It is better to install ducts via walls that are shaded during the day. Duct lines that get directly sunlight are not too good to the energy efficiency performance of the system when cooling the air, especially during the hottest times of the day.
4. It is also more advisable to choose the east or north of the older home to locate & install the main unit.
5. You can also involve and invite many professional as possible if the budget permits, especially such as medical suggestions.
6. In addition, make sure that the air flow across the cooling coils is adequate enough otherwise can lead to the poor performance of the system (less efficient when consuming energy). Your local HVAC contractor that you choose has to completely understand about it.

Read also why your older air conditioning fails to work?

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add central air to old home, installing central air in old home, what to look for in an airconditioner

Tags: central air conditioner, older home