Problem: A home studio in the converted garage of a century-old Wyndmoor, PA home was always too hot and humid in the summer or too cold in the winter. The rest of the home used old radiators and central air on the top floor.
Solution: A Carrier single-zone ductless mini split created the perfect, peaceful climate for this part of the house. The installation was quick and easy and didn’t affect the look and feel of this classic home.
Our homeowner came to us with a problem that’s all too common with older Main Line homes: They look amazing but don’t feel great.
In this case, her old radiators barely kept up with the heating. And, she had installed central air but only in one part of the house.
That left her home studio and office area uncomfortable most of the time. This cozy space is on the bottom floor of the house, and it’s actually a converted garage. But, it was always way too hot and humid in the summer. And, the small radiator in that space never really worked that well.
What could she do? Adding central air down there would be expensive, and she’d have to rip through other parts of her beautiful home to run the ductwork.
Even then, it probably wouldn’t work that well in such an ample space.
But, it turned out our homeowner had heard about ductless or split systems. And, after spending more time in her studio than ever before during the pandemic, she knew it was time to learn more about them.
And that knowledge paid off! Once she met with one of our comfort consultants, she picked out the perfect single-zone system for her studio. Now, she says, it’s her favorite part of the house.
In this case study, we’ll explain why a mini split worked so well. And how the quick and easy installation was the icing on the cake.
Benefits Of Single-Zone Mini Splits For Home Offices
Our homeowner loves the mini split in her home office. Her favorite features?
- One Unit Treats The Entire Area
- One Unit Heats And Air Conditions
- It’s Whisper-Quiet And Even Soothing
One Unit Treats The Entire Area
Even in an unconventional space like this, a Carrier mini split could heat and cool the entire studio. Our homeowner compared that to the radiator that still left drafts and cold spots in the winter. Now, she’s always comfortable.
One challenge with this home office was that it’s not just a small, square room. Instead, it’s a converted garage – long with big glass windows at the end. And, there are desks, shelves, storage space, and exercise equipment — all objects preventing good air circulation.
But, that’s not a problem for the wall-mounted air handler. With dozens of preprogrammed airflow patterns, the system finds the best way to reach every nook and cranny.
One Unit Heats And Air Conditions
Next, a mini split can heat and cool. That means one small unit takes care of year-round climate control. Our homeowner’s not fiddling with a radiator in the winter and then a separate central air system in the summer.
Instead, she gets perfect, even temperatures all year long.
It’s Whisper-Quiet And Even Soothing
At most, our homeowner may hear the faint sound of a fan whirring sometimes. And that’s only so if she’s sitting in total silence and the unit is working at top speed. Even then, she says, that soft sound is peaceful — especially when she’s working.
Ductless Heating And Cooling In Old Homes
Ductless heating and cooling is especially popular in older Main Line homes because homeowners don’t have to ruin the look and feel of their historic house or classic home just to feel comfortable.
Homes built a century ago or more weren’t designed with ductwork in mind. Instead, most use radiators with skinny pipes going from room to room.
That makes upgrading to conventional forced-air systems expensive and invasive. You end up with big, bulky soffits jutting out from the ceilings in rooms that were never designed for that in the first place.
Now, ductless does it better! The wall-mounted indoor unit connects to the heat pump outside with a narrow, flexible set of lines that run through the walls. In other words, out of sight.
It’s an excellent way to improve comfort without losing the old-world charm that you’ve cultivated in your home for so long.
Installing A Single-Zone Mini Split In A Century-Old Wyndmoor, PA Home
Since hooking up a mini split doesn’t require a bunch of demo and construction, the installation in this century-old Wyndmoor, PA home was fast and straightforward. Our homeowner was pleasantly surprised that we finished in less than a day!
All we needed to do was find the perfect spot for the air handler in the office. Then, we mounted it to the wall and ran the lines to the heat pump under the deck. Both units are barely noticeable — but our homeowner notices that comfort every day.
If you’re ready to learn more about how a mini split installation can improve your home comfort, click below to schedule your free consultation.