My house was built in the early 1900s and a lot of features are original.
While we appreciate the charm and historical integrity of hardwood floors, doors, moldings and staircase, the high ceilings, big windows and lack of ventilation have proven to be a challenge.
The house lacks conventional ductwork and has been a problem to heat and cool. Due to severe weather in my local area, heating is essential and cooling is certainly desirable. For a couple of years, we got by with electric baseboard heaters, window air conditioners and box fans. The house was chilly in the winter and overheated in the summer. The portable equipment was an eyesore, inefficient and ineffective. However, we were unwilling to tear down walls, sacrifice space and deal with the huge mess and expense of adding ductwork. I finally did some research, hoping to come up with a better alternative. I was surprised to learn about high-velocity heating and cooling. This type of temperature control system is designed specifically for retrofitting into older homes without major disruption. It features air ducts that are only two inches in diameter and flexible enough to insert into existing walls. The ductwork bends around studs, power outlets and plumbing pipes and connects to vents that are only six-inches in diameter and available in all sorts of styles. The vents allow freedom of location and incorporate seamlessly into the decor. Using aspiration the high velocity system introduces heated/cooled into the room at a high rate of speed to quickly raise or lower the temperature. The insulated and smaller ducts minimize energy waste. The shorter run times ensure exceptional efficiency. The high velocity system keeps costs low while providing consistent whole-home comfort.