Here in the Lowcountry, we’ve officially hit the “will my air conditioning last the summer” time of the year.
With temperatures and humidity levels now reaching near our yearly peak levels, your Lowcountry home’s air conditioning system is working overtime to help you and your family escape that outdoor heat.
That means it’s also time for many homeowners to start evaluating new HVAC options as their systems reach the end of their respective operational lifespans.
Most homeowners opt for replacing their HVAC with whichever make and model they had previously — especially if they have more traditional central air conditioning systems — which makes sense in most cases. However more and more homeowners have discovered that other system types may have more advantages for their unique home setup, particularly with the ductless air conditioning system type.
Whether it be eliminating duct system maintenance costs or they’re seeking to gain more room-by-room temperature control, ductless mini-split systems offer Charleston homeowners several advantages over other system types. Below are 5 of those major advantages and why so many homeowners are opting the ductless route for their new heating and cooling system.
1. No More Duct Cleaning
With the amount of flooding that occurs — especially on Charleston’s downtown peninsula area — duct cleaning becomes more and more of a chore for many area homeowners and property owners. Keeping your home cool & comfortable without relying on your home’s ductwork will nearly eliminate your duct cleaning woes.
2. No More Duct Maintenance
Besides cleaning your home’s ductwork, repair work and maintenance on it can also be something that can take up more time (and money) than you may like. Installing a ductless system means no more worrying about duct leaks and other duct-related issues that can lead to inefficient HVAC system operation.
3. Great For Remodels, New Home Additions & Other Unattached Buildings
Adding onto your home or doing some remodeling? Ductless air conditioning systems can offer you an easy path to keeping those new areas cool & comfortable without having to tie-in to existing ductwork. You’ll be able to maximize the area in your new space and won’t have to worry about if your HVAC system can keep up with the additional coverage area.
Ductless A/C is excellent for unattached buildings as well, like pool houses, unattached garages and other storage or machine sheds.
4. Granular Comfort Settings By Zone
As mentioned above, adding ductless systems to various areas in your home — via HVAC zoning — can give you more control over the temperatures in those areas.
Many homes in Charleston – especially older ones — can often have “hotspots”; areas that get warmer than the rest of the home during certain parts of the day that can’t be handled by their standalone central A/C. Placing a ductless system is a quick way to remedy those “hotspots” and keep each space at a more pleasant comfort level.
5. High Efficiency Lifespan
The last major advantage of ductless air conditioning systems is their lifespan: usually around 15-20 years with proper care and maintenance. Traditional central air conditioning systems usually cap around 12-15 years so ductless systems can normally outpace those by a good 5-8 years, generally speaking.
Ductless air conditioning systems can be an excellent option in the right circumstances, so if you feel you can take advantage of the benefits listed above, then it very well might be a good year to go ductless.
