Extra space in your house can easily be turned into a home office. If there’s a bonus room above your garage or in your basement, it’s the perfect spot to outfit with a desk, a computer, and other basic business needs. First, though, you need to outfit it with heating and cooling. Here are your options for conditioning your HVAC bonus room.
- Ductwork. It may seem convenient to just connect your bonus room to your existing ductwork for heating and cooling. However, there are several issues. Adding new ductwork is often a complicated and expensive procedure. Plus, unless you have a zoning system, it will likely end up too hot or too cold. Finally, adding extra space to the area your HVAC system covers may require you to upgrade to a larger-capacity system. Consider other options first.
- Mini-split. A ductless mini-split is a great option for heating and cooling a separate section of your home. Attaching to the wall, it pumps air directly into the room, providing your bonus room the necessary comfort while eliminating the energy losses ductwork can cause. It provides both heating and cooling and saves energy over your regular furnace. Plus, it’s equipped for zoning, so you can provide air to multiple rooms individually if necessary — not just your HVAC bonus room.
- Window unit. A window unit is cheaper to purchase and install than a mini-split, and it’s great for heating and cooling a small area. The drawback is that it uses more energy. If you’re using your bonus room regularly, a mini-split is more cost-effective in the long run, but if it only sees sporadic use, a window is an inexpensive alternative.
- Ceiling fan. A fan won’t heat or cool your HVAC bonus room by itself, but paired with one of the other options on this list, it can help with air circulation and reduce energy usage. Especially if ventilation is an issue, a ceiling fan is a good addition to your HVAC bonus room.
For help getting HVAC in your bonus room or anywhere else in your home, contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We provide Indianapolis with quality home-comfort solutions.
