If your Hanover, Maryland home lacks ductwork for supporting central air conditioning, you’re not alone. Many homeowners in this area rely on ceiling fans, swamp coolers, window ACs, or other less effective cooling technologies in the summer. Fortunately, ductless cooling systems are capable of providing zoned cooling throughout entire homes and without the need for major structural modifications. They’re durable, reliable, and easy to install. Following are seven signs that ductless AC is the right choice for you.
1. You’ve Been Using an Efficient Window Air Conditioner
Window air conditioners are not an effective source of whole-house cooling. If you live in a small, one-bedroom home, a window AC might be sufficient for meeting your needs in the short term. However, even when there isn’t much square footage for window air conditioners to service, these units still come with a number of major drawbacks. For instance, they:
- Block outside views
- Create an accessible point of ingress for burglars
- Aren’t efficient
- Are noisy during operation
- Must be taken out and stored each winter
Using a window air conditioner as your sole source of cooling can leave you with areas of the home that are still stiflingly hot. If you’ve been using a window air conditioner and are tired of living with the constant noise that it produces, higher than average energy bills, and all-around insufficient cooling, a ductless multi-split air conditioner is a far better choice.
With ductless air conditioning, you can have a separate thermostat and air handler for each room. Rather than merely cooling down the single room in which your window AC is installed, ductless air conditioners can create cooler, safer, and more comfortable conditions throughout the entire building. These systems won’t diminish indoor aesthetics or compromise outside views, and they don’t have to be taken down and stored at the end of the cooling season.
2. You’ve Got a Swamp Cooler in Your Maryland Home
Swamp coolers are popular alternatives to traditional air conditioners because they’re affordable. These units work well in moderately humid environments and in areas where summer temperatures don’t get much higher than 90 degrees. Although average summer temperatures in Maryland are around just 75 degrees, residents throughout the state frequently see days where temperatures climb as high as 85 degrees and even higher. Relying on a cooling system that’s virtually guaranteed to give out when summer temperatures soar is too risky in this region. Moreover, Maryland also sees a fair amount of humidity. Swamp coolers might be cheap, but they aren’t reliable when it comes to consistently performing well in this location.
For homes that lack ducted central air conditioning systems, ductless mini-split ACs are definitely worthy of consideration. Ductless air conditioners are far more efficient than window ACs, and they’re also far more reliable than swamp coolers. It’s additionally important to note that unlike swamp coolers ductless air conditioners don’t add moisture to the indoor environment. In fact, these units actually help regulate indoor humidity by regularly extracting excess moisture. In Hanover, this can mean the difference between developing widespread mold and mildew issues and maintaining a clean, habitable home.
3. You’ve Just Had Your Basement Refinished
Even homeowners who already have central HVAC systems can benefit from ductless cooling. Ductless mini-splits are perfect for supplementing existing air conditioners, especially after new building additions have been made or unserviced areas have been finished. If you’re turning your basement into a family room or den, a workout room, or a bedroom, you can use a ductless mini-split air conditioner to provide as-needed cooling service to this area. This is also true for attic spaces, garages, and any other areas on your property that don’t get airflow from your central air conditioner.
4. You’re Looking for a Way to Lower Your Carbon Footprint
Ductless air conditioners are perfect for consumers who are looking to limit their carbon footprints. If you’re committed to reducing your impact on the natural environment but aren’t willing to give up the comforts of air conditioning, ductless AC can help you reach your goals. Choosing to give up your window air conditioner or swamp cooler in favor of ductless air conditioning will allow you to cool your entire home while maintaining manageable energy bills.
Ductless AC can be used to cool down only the zones in your home that people are actively using. These systems are flexible and adaptable enough for meeting a very broad range of needs. Best of all, you can work with your HVAC company to create cooling zones throughout your home that are perfectly suited to the requirements and preferences of your family. With ductless cooling, there’s never any energy loss that results from loose, leaky, or aging ductwork.
5. You Want to Increase the Marketability and Value of Your Home
Ductless air conditioners add both marketability and value to homes. This equipment is known for being inconspicuous, highly efficient, and easy to use. If you plan on selling your property within the next several years, installing a ductless mini-split can make your home’s sale both easier and more profitable. In homes that lack fixed air conditioning equipment, ductless mini-split installation is one of the best pre-sale improvements that homeowners can make.
6. You Want Better Indoor Air Quality
Ductless cooling systems don’t diminish indoor air quality. Just like central air conditioners, they help filter the indoor air and regulate humidity. However, given that conditioned air isn’t traveling through a complex system of ductwork, it isn’t picking up dirt, dust, or other allergens along the way. You should definitely consider having a ductless mini-split installed if you think that having a central air conditioner in your home is likely to exacerbate your allergy, asthma, or other respiratory issues.
7. Your Home Cannot Accommodate a More Modern, Central Air Conditioner
Even if you have existing ductwork in your home, your property may not have room for accommodating a modern air conditioner. Sadly, this is a problem that many Maryland homeowners face when their old air conditioners need replacement. If you have an AC unit that’s more than 15 years old, you may be surprised to discover that modern and more efficient air conditioners are actually much larger in size.
Lacking an adequate storage area for housing a new unit is only one part of the problem. Increases in equipment efficiency can also make it necessary to have entire sections of ducting replaced, expanded, or upgraded. You may find it cheaper and far less invasive to simply have a ductless mini-split air conditioner installed instead. Fewer building modifications will be needed, and you’ll have the ability to selectively cool only rooms or zones throughout your home that are actively in use.
At Beltway Air Conditioning & Heating, we offer ductless air conditioner installation to residents of Hanover, Maryland and the surrounding areas. We also provide custom ductwork, indoor air quality services, and whole-house dehumidifiers. We also offer a whole host of commercial services including HVAC design-build and services for apartment buildings. If you need help finding the right cooling solution for your home, give us a call now.
