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I own a Victorian built in 1899. It has two separate units an upstairs/downstairs. I’m doing research now on what would be better - central heat/air or the ductless split. We’ll need two separate systems one for each unit.
You could do a combination, if it’s primarily for cooling I would do a ducted system in the attic if you have space (if you’re trying to cool the whole house), but if you’re just trying to cool off the master bedroom or one or two areas then a mini split might do the trick. Just depends on your home’s layout and attic. You can also do slim ducted systems they’re a great option as well
We have no ducts. Ours heat is radiant heat, wood stove, and wall heater back up (wall units are rarely used). We have 3 window ac units. The living room is very tall (2 stories) with the rest of the house as a maze. I don't know how many spits (?) we'd need for cool off bedrooms we plan to rent out. How do we know this?
Can I connect a traditional wall mount AC unit to a central AC provided by my building ?I can not put an ac unit outside. I have a ducted ac but would prefer to avoid ducts
Yes to add ductwork unless there's an attic but if there's no unconditioned attic area then ductless options or cassettes are your best bet. I see this in farm houses and the only way to get AC is ductless systems
I'm looking at buying an old 3 story building plus basement that has a separate apartment on each floor. I will be living in one of the apartments. The building has no ductwork and no hvac system. I'm not doing a full gut, but I don't mind tearing down ceilings and walls to install ducts. Is it feasible to install a separate central air system to each floor? how much do you think it would cost. The building is 20 x 60. thank you
I’d say central air, it’s normally more to install because if the house is finished you have to put the ductwork somewhere. If the basement is unfinished it’s easier to run the ducts and then you can finish it later.
You mentioned Colorado Springs, but I dont see that location on the service areas. We are looking to buy an older house in the area without AC and wanted to get an estimate on installing AC.
We used to service the springs but had issues staffing it and ultimately had to pull out because of the distance from our hub, a little short staffed at the moment so we’re trying to focus on taking care of existing customers in the springs and aren’t servicing there at the moment. May open up in the future, I would recommend Peak Home Performance, they’ve been great from what I have heard down there
Yes but I haven’t personally worked on them often, only thing I’ve heard is they’re noisy so a lot of people don’t like the high velocity for that reason
I currently do not have ducts in my house and was considering a ductless system. However I am confused on what type of syste is needed for a 3/2 house and if a separate unit would be required for the kitchen and bathrooms?
You’re not going to put a ductless head unit in the bathrooms ever. The only exception is if you’re adding ducts you could ad a slim duct system and add duct runs to the bathrooms and bedrooms. In a 3/2 house that’s not a bad idea. It’s a little more labor to get one installed but it might be less expensive and better overall than having to install 4 head units / or cassettes to cover the entire space. With a slim duct unit you could duct the entire home off a thin profile air handler that connects to a single condenser and just run flex duct.
What would be the advantages and disadvantages to installing high velocity AC with floor vents? Installation from the basement would make it so much easier. Currently, the house has no AC, with radiator heat.
I am not that familiar with and don’t install high velocity systems, so honestly can’t speak to that. I’ll see if I can pick a contractors brain that specializes in that, I’ve seen the systems and don’t like the noise of the velocity but other than that can’t speak to their efficiency or effectiveness
I live in a home with a high velocity system. When the A/C kicks on it sounds like an airplane inside. Evaporator coil has rusted out in the attic after apparently 20 years. My wife doesn't like the ductless systems look. But she also doesn't want to add duct work. We do have room for a system in the attic, and the basement. Can we have an evaporator upstairs in the attic, and a second in the basement both running off one condenser outside?
Yes this is done through a VRF system like Daikin VRV Life. The cost is probably similar to two separate condensers but that’s my recommendation if you’re trying to have two systems off one condenser. Ducted is more comfortable for sure in my opinion but Cassettes are a popular ductless option because they are flush mounted into the ceiling and don’t require ductwork. Might be worth considering depending on design and layout
For old homes in New England that use radiant heat, are you saying its possible to install ductwork and switch to central air? You seemed to discourage installing duct work in an entire New England home with a full size basement. The majority of houses here do not have duct work. Having central air in New England is a huge luxury!
It is it's just a big expense like you said, but mainly if you're not gutting the home. It's going down to studs anyways for renovations you can duct it but if you're keeping the home as is and just trying to add ducts in a finished space then the easiest way is in an attic and a separate system in the basement to serve the space above it (assuming the basement is unfinished)
For ducting? Very Difficult to answer, depends on contractor, region, cost of living / wages locally, building code differences (California has more code requirements for example), home size, duct run length, installation considerations etc…
Thank you for the education! I feel better equipped to talk to contractors.
For more videos like this on how you can get the best HVAC for your home and avoid common mistakes, make sure you’re subscribed to the channel here youtube.com/@TheHVACDopeShow?sub_confirmation=1
I own a Victorian built in 1899. It has two separate units an upstairs/downstairs. I’m doing research now on what would be better - central heat/air or the ductless split. We’ll need two separate systems one for each unit.
You could do a combination, if it’s primarily for cooling I would do a ducted system in the attic if you have space (if you’re trying to cool the whole house), but if you’re just trying to cool off the master bedroom or one or two areas then a mini split might do the trick. Just depends on your home’s layout and attic. You can also do slim ducted systems they’re a great option as well
We have no ducts. Ours heat is radiant heat, wood stove, and wall heater back up (wall units are rarely used). We have 3 window ac units. The living room is very tall (2 stories) with the rest of the house as a maze. I don't know how many spits (?) we'd need for cool off bedrooms we plan to rent out. How do we know this?
Can I connect a traditional wall mount AC unit to a central AC provided by my building ?I can not put an ac unit outside. I have a ducted ac but would prefer to avoid ducts
I’m looking at a colonial style home with no ducts, would it be hard to add ducts/hvac to this type of home?
Yes to add ductwork unless there's an attic but if there's no unconditioned attic area then ductless options or cassettes are your best bet. I see this in farm houses and the only way to get AC is ductless systems
I'm looking at buying an old 3 story building plus basement that has a separate apartment on each floor. I will be living in one of the apartments. The building has no ductwork and no hvac system. I'm not doing a full gut, but I don't mind tearing down ceilings and walls to install ducts. Is it feasible to install a separate central air system to each floor? how much do you think it would cost. The building is 20 x 60. thank you
What is better if you have a basement central air or mini splits 3 bed 1 bath-???
I’d say central air, it’s normally more to install because if the house is finished you have to put the ductwork somewhere. If the basement is unfinished it’s easier to run the ducts and then you can finish it later.
Will an unisulated attic roof cause your duct in the attic work to sweat.
Attic ducts have to be insulated to R8 depending on region so that’s just code… definitely have to insulate attic ductwork, lots of heat loss/gain
What would you suggest for a new build in north TX that will be 1400sqft, two-story, single-sloped home that will not have full attic space?
You mentioned Colorado Springs, but I dont see that location on the service areas. We are looking to buy an older house in the area without AC and wanted to get an estimate on installing AC.
We used to service the springs but had issues staffing it and ultimately had to pull out because of the distance from our hub, a little short staffed at the moment so we’re trying to focus on taking care of existing customers in the springs and aren’t servicing there at the moment. May open up in the future, I would recommend Peak Home Performance, they’ve been great from what I have heard down there
Are you able to comment/review high velocity HVAC systems like Unico or Spacepak?
Yes but I haven’t personally worked on them often, only thing I’ve heard is they’re noisy so a lot of people don’t like the high velocity for that reason
I currently do not have ducts in my house and was considering a ductless system. However I am confused on what type of syste is needed for a 3/2 house and if a separate unit would be required for the kitchen and bathrooms?
You’re not going to put a ductless head unit in the bathrooms ever. The only exception is if you’re adding ducts you could ad a slim duct system and add duct runs to the bathrooms and bedrooms. In a 3/2 house that’s not a bad idea. It’s a little more labor to get one installed but it might be less expensive and better overall than having to install 4 head units / or cassettes to cover the entire space. With a slim duct unit you could duct the entire home off a thin profile air handler that connects to a single condenser and just run flex duct.
What would be the advantages and disadvantages to installing high velocity AC with floor vents? Installation from the basement would make it so much easier. Currently, the house has no AC, with radiator heat.
I am not that familiar with and don’t install high velocity systems, so honestly can’t speak to that. I’ll see if I can pick a contractors brain that specializes in that, I’ve seen the systems and don’t like the noise of the velocity but other than that can’t speak to their efficiency or effectiveness
@@TheHVACDopeShow I just thought that having vents on the floor, it would require high velocity. If not, that would be acceptable.
Would a ceiling cassette on a top floor be mounted below the attic ceiling joists or would it have to penetrate into the attic space?
It would be in the attic space so it’s flush with the ceiling
I live in a home with a high velocity system. When the A/C kicks on it sounds like an airplane inside. Evaporator coil has rusted out in the attic after apparently 20 years.
My wife doesn't like the ductless systems look. But she also doesn't want to add duct work.
We do have room for a system in the attic, and the basement. Can we have an evaporator upstairs in the attic, and a second in the basement both running off one condenser outside?
Yes this is done through a VRF system like Daikin VRV Life. The cost is probably similar to two separate condensers but that’s my recommendation if you’re trying to have two systems off one condenser. Ducted is more comfortable for sure in my opinion but Cassettes are a popular ductless option because they are flush mounted into the ceiling and don’t require ductwork. Might be worth considering depending on design and layout
For old homes in New England that use radiant heat, are you saying its possible to install ductwork and switch to central air?
You seemed to discourage installing duct work in an entire New England home with a full size basement. The majority of houses here do not have duct work. Having central air in New England is a huge luxury!
It is it's just a big expense like you said, but mainly if you're not gutting the home. It's going down to studs anyways for renovations you can duct it but if you're keeping the home as is and just trying to add ducts in a finished space then the easiest way is in an attic and a separate system in the basement to serve the space above it (assuming the basement is unfinished)
how much will this cost?
Varies widely by region system and design and installation considerations
@@TheHVACDopeShowestimate price for a normal 3 bedroom traditional home
How much it will be for a whole house roughly?
For ducting? Very Difficult to answer, depends on contractor, region, cost of living / wages locally, building code differences (California has more code requirements for example), home size, duct run length, installation considerations etc…
Do you guys offer service in Denver area?
Yes we do! Should be a link in the description or call us 303-531-1582
Do you do work in New York
Not currently no, but could probably find a referral if you’d like