In Florida and the Southeast, where the weather becomes hot and humid, owners of older homes need to find ways to keep the heat at bay so you can enjoy your summer. While getting a new HVAC system may help cool your home, you need to consider your home’s current system and condition before you do. This guide explores eight critical considerations when installing a modern HVAC system in your older home.
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A ductless HVAC system is an excellent option for cooling an older home, especially if your home was built without ductwork. This way, you may get it installed with minimal disruption. A mini-split system is easily installed inside the house and connected to an exterior heat pump.
Additionally, you might install it with numerous air handlers, each with its own programmable thermostat, allowing you to set different areas or zones at different temperatures. Creating multiple zones can help you meet various cooling preferences simultaneously. It is especially beneficial if you would only like to cool certain areas of the house that you use more frequently, contributing to improved energy efficiency. This way, you can lower monthly bills whether you want to heat or cool different areas of your home.
A high-velocity HVAC is another excellent option if your older home has little room for central air conditioning ductwork. This system uses smaller ducts than the typical HVAC system, allowing for easier installation and less space consumption.
Considering the size of an older home is essential when choosing the right modern HVAC system to install. Measure your living area’s square footage to determine whether the HVAC system you want meets the home’s size needs. Alternatively, you might contact a professional to evaluate your older home and suggest a suitable HVAC system based on its age, layout, square footage, existing ductwork and number of windows.
If you have an older home, the house’s current insulation may have deteriorated over the years, causing hot or cold drafts to flow into the house. It’s important to ensure that your home’s exterior walls, attic and roof are adequately insulated. South Florida has wall and floor insulation requirements that you’ll need to meet, depending on your area’s climate zone of your area.
It may help to speak with an HVAC specialist about your home’s insulation. If you notice any insufficient areas, you may add weatherstripping, blow-in insulation or replace worn older windows to help keep cool air inside.
Does your house have gaps around windows and doors or in the crawlspace? These gaps allow heat and humid air to enter the house in summer and cold air to enter during winter. Start closing up the cracks to help keep the temperature more constant.
You can do this by weatherstripping the bottom of doors, caulking window gaps or using foam insulation. Draft stoppers or door snakes may also help prevent air from sneaking under doors. If you notice drafts from beneath your floorboards, you can use wood filler, caulk or putty to fill those gaps.
Whether your older home already has an AC system or you’ve decided to install a new HVAC system, routine maintenance is important to consider and plan for in advance. By preserving your system’s life, you can keep your home cool and dehumidified for longer. Routine maintenance will help you spot and fix issues earlier to avoid major repairs later.
Change the system’s air filter every few months to prevent clogging and help it operate with consistent efficiency. Without regular cleaning, air filters can often get clogged with dust, hair, pollen and pet dander, forcing the system to work harder and wear out faster.
You’ll also want to hire a professional to inspect and clean your ducts every few years to avoid clogging issues. If any holes or cracks are present, you may have to get them repaired to preserve your system’s life.
If your older home has a furnace and you are now considering an AC solution, you must consider the existing ductwork. Some homeowners may use the existing ductwork designed for the furnace on the new AC system to cut costs. It’s important to note that this will only work if it is the right size for the AC.
Sometimes, the older home’s load capacity may not match the new unit, causing moisture issues. The system may also cool rooms too fast or take too long to complete the cooling process, negatively impacting humidity levels.
Be sure to contact an experienced HVAC professional before you install your AC unit with existing ductwork. These professionals may help you determine whether the ductwork meets load requirements and matches up well for improved system efficiency. They may also be able to redo the ductwork if it is misaligned.
When sunshine enters your older home through windows, it may heat the rooms. Keep South Florida’s intense sunlight from entering your house with better landscaping. For example, adding trees and shrubs can shade large windows and patio doors.
While you can have fully grown trees and shrubs replanted around your house, you may also plant some fast-growing trees. For instance, Lombardy poplars are among the fastest-growing trees in Florida’s heat, growing up to 6 feet per year, and autumn blaze maple trees may grow up to 3 feet or more per year. It might also help to look into light-blocking curtains or blinds to help reduce the amount of heat that gets into your home.
Is your ductwork located in a poorly ventilated space? Areas with less ventilation, such as an attic or crawlspace, may cause ductwork to absorb more heat and transport warmer air into your home. Reflective materials like a radiant barrier may reduce heat transfer and keep your home cooler.
Depending on your situation, installing a new HVAC system or updating your existing cooling system may help you increase comfort in your older home in Florida. At Strada Air Conditioning & Heating, we have various skilled professionals specializing in HVAC services for installation, repair and maintenance.
Our technicians are highly trained to ensure proper installation and compliance with the relevant building codes. We also inspect all electrical and mechanical components critically and thoroughly clean and repair systems as needed. Whether you require an expert technician to help maintain your ducts and air filters or someone to install a ductless HVAC zoning system, contact us to schedule an appointment today.
Joe Strada, owner of Strada Electric, Security & Air Conditioning, started working at the young age of 14. He’s never attended college, but he has spent his life dedicating his time and energy to his trade and providing high-quality services to his customers. At 19, Joe started working at a well-known air conditioning company and developing his commitment to excellence. He has state certifications in electric, plumbing, air conditioning, residential building and general contracting. During his years of training and experience, Joe noticed a sincere need for a dependable electrical contractor in Florida who embodied the same dedication to customer service in which he believed. In 2003, Joe co-founded Strada Electric, Security & Air Conditioning. Since then, the company has been in the business of providing peace of mind to customers. We offer expert electric, security and air conditioning solutions for homes and businesses, leveraging our experience to deliver professional and responsive service with reliability and respect.
