Why Mini Split ACs are a Good Option for Older Homes
You love the charm of your old home, and you don’t think you’d ever leave. However, an old furnace or air-conditioning unit is not nearly as charming as antique doors and fireplaces. You dread your electricity bill each month, as you know it’s going to be needlessly expensive.
There is a way to enjoy the uniqueness of your home without paying a fortune on your monthly bills. Get rid of the old HVAC in your home and pivot to a greener solution like a ductless mini split AC.
Let’s review the reasons why this is such a smart, cost-effective decision.
Goodbye Ducts!
Ducts are complicated. About 30 percent of the cold air your current air conditioner produces never reaches the vents in your home because it exits through small gaps in the ducts. This can leave you sweating as it seems like your AC isn’t running efficiently enough.
Upgrading your ducted air conditioner rarely works in an old home. It might not have the space or the facilities to support ductwork without making major changes to the structure.
Depending on the age of your property, you might not be able to make structural modifications if it’s deemed a historical property.
A ductless mini split system is an even better solution than increasing the ductwork in your home. It uses no ducts, and the indoor unit mounts to a wall. You can configure where on the wall they go so they won’t detract from the old-fashioned beauty of your home.
The outdoor compressor only needs a concrete slab in your backyard or side yard. You can cool your home efficiently without worrying about more ductwork.
Can Cool by Zone
Older homes usually have prominent attics. These spaces can become sweatboxes in the summer, as heat rises, and rarely does an attic have any adequate ventilation.
As a result, you must be careful about what you store in the attic, as items can melt or otherwise degrade in quality if they spend long enough up there.
A ductless mini split cools by zone, so you can target upstairs areas that get hot, like the attic, but not necessarily full rooms (unless you want to).
If your home has other unique spaces throughout, you’ll also appreciate the freedom of ductless cooling.
Environmentally Smart
Older homes existed before many environmental standards did. This means your home might not be the greenest property on the block or in the neighborhood.
A ductless mini split is the eco-friendliest solution you can make for your older home. Since it doesn’t blast out cold air all over the home day and night, including in spaces that don’t need it, it’s a much more environmentally smart choice than window ACs or central cooling.
Lower Utility Bills
An older home can also fall victim to high utility bills, especially electricity bills, as mentioned. Your ductless mini split system will begin paying back dividends immediately, with lower bills the longer you use the unit.
You’ll more than pay back the cost of the mini split in just a couple of years, and after a decade or longer, you’ll save tens of thousands of dollars on your energy bills in many cases.