Designing a new home from scratch allows you to create the layout and choose the materials that best suit you. One of the choices you have that is not often available when buying a pre-built home is what kind of HVAC system should be responsible for heating or cooling the property. But what options are available and what are their pros and cons? The following guide explains.

HVAC Systems for Your Custom Home

1. Central Air & Furnace

Central AC is one of the most affordable options for air conditioning. Air is taken in and cooled in one area of the house and then distributed throughout the property through a series of hidden ducts before being expelled by vents. It usually is used in concert with a furnace for heating, which uses gas to ignite a pilot light to warm the air.

However, in spite of a lower initial cost, air seepage from the ducts will cause higher utility bills over time. Additionally, regular maintenance on the ducts will be needed to make sure that the hair, dander, pollen, and dirt it collects from the air doesn’t get recirculated to your family and houseguests.

2. Ductless Systems

Ductless systems come with a wall-mounted unit and an outdoor component. In spite of these aspects, they are considered less visible that central air conditioning and also tend to make less noise. Their energy-efficiency makes them valued by homeowners—especially since they allow for easy zoning, so you can heat or cool one room of the house without touching the temperature in others. However, a special model or back-up heat source may be needed in regions that routinely drop below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. They, too, will require regular maintenance.

3. Geothermal Heat Pumps

This system works by exchanging heat with the ground—either taking it from the house in the summer or giving it to the house in the winter. Its heat pump works similarly to that used by your refrigerator. Environmentally friendly, low maintenance, and capable of heating both large and small places, they have many advantages. Unfortunately, they work best in locations that consistently stay above 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Having a difficult time deciding between HVAC systems to install in your new custom residence? Contact the skilled professionals at Mill Creek Heating in Turner, OR. Their staff offers a comprehensive range of residential and commercial HVAC services to the Willamette Valley at competitive rates—as they have since 2003. Visit them online to learn more about their offerings or call (503) 749-1000 today for a free consultation.