Air Conditioning Options for Older Homes

June 18, 2020

Air conditioning is a necessity, especially during the summer. In fact, older homes with outdated AC systems usually are the first to request an upgrade. However, installing a new HVAC system isn't always easy, especially if the home is old. There are times when newer AC units simply aren't compatible

Learn more about air conditioning options for older homes how an HVAC professional from Master Mechanical can help.

Central Air Conditioning

The first and most common type of air conditioning you can put in an older home is central air. Central air conditioning works by distributing the air through a series of air ducts. However, adding central air conditioning into an older home is not as easy as it is for a modern home.

Most older homes don't have a duct system, so they'll have to be installed first. But installing air ducts into an older home could be expensive, depending on the home's architecture. There are two types of central air conditioning; split-system and packaged.

A split-system air conditioner uses three components; the condenser, the evaporator and the compressor. They are separated into multiple areas of the HVAC. A packaged system, on the other hand, has the same components except that they're all in the same area.

A Ductless System

Another great and inexpensive air conditioner to consider for an old home is a ductless system. A ductless system functions similarly to an identical central air system. The only real difference is that there are no air ducts.

At this point, you may be wondering why a ductless system is even an option when you can just install air ducts. While it’s not exactly impossible to install air ducts into an older home, it can be expensive. And since older homes may require more consideration for installation, it's important to understand the logistics prior to moving forward.

Install a Heat Pump

The last option for upgrading your HVAC in an older home is a heat pump. The word "heat" is the last thing you want during the summer. However, heat pumps can cool your home by extracting the heat from the inside and then releasing it outside. It’s the exact opposite come winter time as it extracts heat from outside and releases it inside.

One thing to note is that heat pumps are generally more expensive than the other two options, but it does come off with a great pay off. Many people have stated that they have saved a lot on their energy bills with heat pumps.

Living in an older home doesn't mean you can't enjoy the comfort of AC. These options allow you to cool your home while keeping it a piece of history. If you'd like more information about air conditioning for older homes, contact Master Mechanical to speak with one of our HVAC professionals today.