If you own an older home, you’re faced with a number of unique challenges. While the allure of owning a historic home might entice people to jump in, you’ll have to deal with extra headaches and possibly have to find creative solutions to adding many of the modern comforts that we both expect and demand these days. In some cases, that challenge can come in the form of cooling.
When some older homes were built, air conditioning simply wasn’t a thing, and that means they weren’t designed with central duct networks and cooling systems in mind. Retrofitting them can be extraordinarily difficult, or even downright impossible without spending tens of thousands of dollars or more on remodeling the home to make installing this necessary equipment possible.
But the good news is that’s not the case anymore. Thanks to advances in technology, ductless cooling systems can get you the temperature control you need while also avoiding some of the largest difficulties of modernizing an older home.
Ease of Installation
Arguably the biggest reason why ductless mini-split air conditioning systems are so ideal for older homes is that they are super simple to install. For the indoor unit, all you need is either one or two mounting brackets that can easily be attached to the studs in your wall with nothing more than a drill. After a few minutes and some careful measuring, they’re attached and you can hang your indoor unit in the perfect spot with ease. The outdoor unit is also remarkably simple: all you need is a level surface that you can attach the unit to securely and you’re all set.
To connect the two, all you need is a small hole in your wall between the indoor and outdoor unit. This hole is generally small—about the size of a tennis ball, which is just enough space to allow the refrigerant lines and electrical wires to pass through.
Want to use a ductless system in multiple rooms of your house? You can, and you may not even have to install more than one outdoor unit. Some modern systems can connect up to four indoor units to just a single outdoor setup for maximum energy efficiency and reduced cost.
Ease of Use
One of the biggest gripes that many people have had with ductless systems in the past is that they’re a pain to use. You have to remember to turn them on and off, they require you to either use a remote control or get up and push a button that may not exactly be easy to reach, and maintaining them was a somewhat frustrating affair as well. Today, this is no longer the case.
Most modern day units are equipped with Wi-Fi technology which opens up a whole world of different ways of making using these systems easier. Most modern units can be controlled right from your smartphone or tablet with a proprietary app that connects directly to your units. If you have multiple units, you can control all of them right from that same app. This gives you total flexibility to control the climate in different rooms in your home. Zoning a traditional heating and cooling system has never been this easy.
Likewise, these systems can now be programmed much like a traditional heating and cooling system would as well. You’ll be able to enjoy everything from programmable settings to even full energy readouts, all of which are designed to make your system as efficient as possible.
And if you’re worried about noise, manufacturers have thought about that too. These systems use whisper-quiet fans and silent motors which are energy-efficient and non-disruptive. Odds are, you’ll be able to sleep perfectly peacefully while using one of these units.
If you want to know more about installing a ductless air conditioning system in your home, contact HomeWorks at (651) 237-2698 for a consultation with one of our St. Paul air conditioning experts.