Ductless is the solution
Sponsored Content - May 23, 2019 - Think Local

Photo: Contributed

Is your master bedroom on the top floor and always too hot in the summer—even though your home has air conditioning?

Ever had a thermostat war with a member of your family? You’re in one part of the house and want a certain temperature, while someone else is another part of the home and wants it five degrees warmer?

Or do you live in a home that doesn’t have cooling at all?

Terri Wilkinson from Comfort Tech Heating & Cooling says they have the solution. 

Ductless split systems have been around for quite some time, but most people don’t even know they exist. Furthermore, the assumption is the technology is too expensive for the average homeowner. That is not so, according to Wilkinson, who compares the cost of a ductless system to adding traditional ducts to a home.

“The short-term costs are not more than ducting a home, and the added benefits of high efficiency far outweigh any short term installation costs,” the co-owner of Comfort Tech Heating & Cooling says. “As a matter of fact, ductless systems can have SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) ratings in the mid-to high 20s, which is far higher efficiency than a traditional central air system.”

Instead of using ductwork to distribute air through the house like a central air conditioner would, a ductless split system utilizes individual units throughout the home. This allows for individual control in each room, which in turn provides more flexible temperature settings.

A ductless heat pump or air conditioner typically consists of one or more wall-mounted indoor units combined with an outside compressor. Unlike window units, ductless units only require a small hole in the wall for installation. The indoor units are incredibly quiet and much more visually appealing than your average window air conditioner.

Ductless technology is also good for homes where the ducts aren’t big enough for cooling.

“Older homes in our area did not have to be sized for cooling back in the day, so just adding an air conditioner to an existing system could be a big mistake,” Wilkinson says.

Wilkinson advises consulting a company with qualified technicians capable of measuring the existing duct work, evaluating the furnace or air handler and making recommendations on what is in place.

“There is nothing worse than going out to help a homeowner who thought they were getting central air conditioning only to tell them that the system was never going to function as it should,” Wilkinson says. “Air conditioning is an investment in both your family’s comfort and the long-term value of your home. Make sure if you are spending the money that you will get a return on that investment.

“We have solutions for all kind of spaces. Renovated carports that are now rec rooms, bonus rooms above the garage, that addition that is always too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter, or even modular homes can get the latest and greatest technology for a reasonable price.”

In other words, if you’re suffering through another sweaty summer in your top-floor master bedroom, there is an answer that doesn’t include installing a loud, window-mounted unit. Think you can’t have comfort year round? Think again.

This article is written by or on behalf of the sponsoring client and does not necessarily reflect the views of Okanagan Edge.


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