is your attic well-ventilated?

If you're tired of depending on window air conditioners to keep you cool in the summer, it's time to look at a central air system. The two main choices are a system that forces air through ducts and a ductless system. Here are a few things to consider when trying to decide which one is best for you.

Presence Of Existing Ducts

If your home already has ducts in place from an old air conditioning unit or for your heating system, then it makes sense to connect an air conditioner to them. This sort of set up places the condenser outside and runs a line to the furnace or air conditioner blower inside. The air is chilled and then blown through the ducts already in place.

However, you can't assume the ducts you have will be suitable for a new AC. They need to be inspected by an HVAC contractor first. They may not be the right size or in the right place to work well with an air conditioning unit. If that's the case, and you need to install new ducts, then a ductless system may be best. If you need to put in new ducts, that drives up the cost of getting central air installed.

Zone Control Ability

A ductless system is set up differently than a traditional central air unit. There are still indoor and outdoor parts, but with a ductless system, there is an indoor unit in each section of your home. Since there are no ducts for air to travel through, the indoor unit blows chilled air into the room it's in. There are advantages to this.

Instead of the entire house being controlled by one temperature thermostat, you'll have the ability to control the temperature in each room that has an indoor blower. This is beneficial when you have extra bedrooms that aren't used in your home. You'll save on energy costs by only cooling down the rooms that you use.

Appearance And Cost

One of the big advantages of a system that uses ducts is that it is hidden out of sight. The only things you see are the register vents and thermostat. On the other hand, a ductless system is visible. Each room in your home will have an indoor unit attached to the ceiling or upper wall. They are small, but still noticeable. If one of the reasons you want to get rid of your window units is because of appearance, you may not be happy with a ductless system. If appearance is not as important as having a cool and comfortable climate in your home, then a ductless system might work well for you.

Cost may come into play too. When it comes to upfront cost, the least expensive option is to go with an air conditioning unit that uses your existing ducts. The next option is to install a ductless air conditioner. The most expensive choice is installing a unit along with ducts. However, you should also take into account the long term costs and savings of each type. A ductless system could save you money if you only want to cool down a couple of rooms in your home rather than your whole house every day. To find out more, speak with a business like Tropic Air Conditioning INC.