It’s official: Working from home is the way of the future! The movement was already picking up steam over the last decade. Then, the stay-at-home orders in 2020 meant more people than ever set up home offices. And, many of them never want to go back to the office.
It’s convenient to skip the morning commute and maybe even work in your pajamas. But, using a part of your home as an office means spending much more time there every day than usual.
As a result, people have seen their energy bills rise because the heat or AC is on most of the day. Or, they discover that their house isn’t as comfortable as it used to be — at least not in their new workspace.
Fortunately, the latest HVAC technology can solve these common work-from-home problems, plus a few others.
In this article, we’ll explain why a home office often needs extra heating and cooling. Then, we’ll look at how to solve them.
Three Reasons Why Your Home Office Needs Extra Heating And Cooling
A home office has different heating and cooling needs than the rest of the house because:
- Electronics Affect The Temperature
- Room Is Used More Often All Day
- Customized HVAC Can Save Money
1. Electronics Affect The Temperature
Having a lot of electronics in one room can raise the temperature by up to 10 degrees! It depends on how many things you’re running, of course. But, if you have a desktop computer, some external hard drives or servers, plus a tablet, phone, and more, your office is significantly warmer than other rooms in the house.
Sure, that’s probably not too much of a problem in the winter. But, it can make summer workdays unbearable.
And, it’s not like you can change the thermostat for just that one room!
If you have ductwork, then you have one system for the entire home. Making it cooler would mean freezing out other parts of the house that don’t need that much AC in the summer. Or that requires more heat in the winter.
2. Room Is Used More Often All Day
When people commute to work, they’re gone for up to ten or 12 hours a day. Then, they’re downstairs until it’s time for bed. That means most of the house doesn’t need to stay too warm in the winter or cool in the summer.
In fact, most people turn the heat or AC down at night because they don’t need the same level of comfort for when they’re sleeping. It doesn’t matter if the downstairs isn’t as comfortable at night — or if the bedrooms aren’t as comfortable during the day.
But that changes with a home office! Now, you’re at home all day. And, maybe you’re in there at night. Now, that one part of the house is on a different heating and cooling schedule than the rest of your home.
3. Customized HVAC Can Save Money
Sure, you save on gas by working from home. But now, you’re paying more to heat and cool your house! As we mentioned, you’re now home all day and require the same level of comfort that you usually only needed in the evenings or on the weekend.
That can send your bills skyrocketing — unless you have a customized system that treats your office individually with cost-saving, energy-efficient equipment.
Mini Split Installation For A Home Office
Mini split installations are getting more and more popular with all sorts of homeowners. And, their unique setups and excellent benefits are especially attractive for the new work-from-home generation.
What Is A Mini Split?
A mini split is an HVAC system that uses an outdoor heat pump and indoor air handlers to provide customized heating and cooling to each part of the house. You can install a single air handler in one room, such as a home office. Or, use multiple indoor units to heat and cool the entire house.
There’s no ductwork required. Instead the heat pump connects to the air handlers using small refrigerant lines that carry heat, not air, from one place to another.
The result is heating and cooling that’s just as powerful as conventional furnaces and central air — usually even better!
Benefits Of A Mini Split In A Home Office
Here are four reasons why a mini split is great for a home office:
- Customized Heating And Cooling
- Quiet Operation
- Fast, Easy Installation
- Energy-Efficient
1. Customized Heating And Cooling
You can adjust the temperature in your home office without affecting the rest of the house! Each air handler has a built-in thermostat. So, you can cool down your electronics in the summer and make sure it’s not too chilly in the winter.
And, you can do that without making an impact on the rest of the house.
2. Quiet Operation
Mini splits are whisper quiet! You won’t need to turn off a window air conditioner to make a phone call or hop on a Zoom meeting. And, you can work in peace and quiet year-round. There’s no sudden rush of air coming through the vents to interrupt your thought process.
3. Fast, Easy Installation
Mini split installation is fast and non-invasive. If you’re installing a single-zone system with one air handler, the work gets done in a single day, and you’re ready to work in comfort the next morning!
And, since there’s no ductwork, you won’t change the look and feel of your home with giant ducts running across the walls or new holes in the floors or walls for vents.
4. Energy-Efficient
You’ll save energy — and money! — with a mini split. These systems don’t use nearly as much electricity as central air, an electric furnace, or baseboard heaters. That means you’re cutting back down on your utility bills even though your home needs more heating and cooling during the day than it used to.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
