Adding a room or sunroom to your home is exciting. But then comes the question of how to cool it. You have two main options: extend your existing central air system or install a separate ductless mini split. Both can work but one is often a better fit for the way we build and live in Central Texas.
Adding a room or sunroom to your home is exciting. But then comes the question of how to cool it. You have two main options: extend your existing central air system or install a separate ductless mini split. Both can work but one is often a better fit for the way we build and live in Central Texas.
This page compares the two honestly. No fluff. No made up savings. Just the practical facts for homeowners in Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown, San Marcos, Killeen, Temple, and Waco. We want you to make a smart choice whether you end up calling Jester Climate or not.
Extending central air to a new addition usually costs more than a mini split. Why? Because your existing system may not have enough capacity. A contractor might need to run new ductwork from the main unit. That means cutting into walls and ceilings. And if your current AC unit is undersized for the added square footage you may need a whole new central system. That can run thousands more than a mini split.
A ductless mini split like the ones we install at Jester Climate is a self contained system. It has an outdoor compressor and one or more indoor air handlers. No ductwork needed. The standard flat price for a basic installation is $2,400 including materials and labor. That is a finished price not a starting estimate. For many home additions especially sunrooms and bonus rooms that number makes a lot more sense than the cost of extending central air.
Central Texas summers are brutal. We get weeks of 100 degree days. If you extend your central air you are cooling the new room with the same thermostat that controls the rest of the house. That can lead to hot spots. Your bedroom might be freezing while your sunroom swelters. Mini splits give you independent temperature control for each room. You set the sunroom to 72 degrees and the rest of the house to 78. That is a real advantage for sunrooms which have lots of windows and heat gain.
But here is the honest trade off. Central air systems are very good at cooling large open floor plans. If your addition is big say 500 square feet or more and it shares an open wall with the main house extending central air might make more sense. Talk to a pro. We will tell you straight up which way leans better for your specific layout.
Extending central air usually means cutting into drywall for new ducts. That creates dust and drywall work. It can take a few days. A mini split install is much less invasive. We mount the indoor unit on a wall or ceiling. Drill a small hole for the line set. Mount the outdoor unit. Done. The whole thing is often finished in one day. That matters if you are living in the house during construction.
On aesthetics the mini split indoor unit is visible on the wall. Some people do not love the look. But modern units are slim and sleek. They come in white or black. Central air is hidden behind vents. If you want a totally invisible system central air wins. For a sunroom though many homeowners prefer the mini split because it keeps the ceiling clean and does not require bulkheads for ducts.
Mini splits are very efficient for single room cooling. They use inverter technology which lets the compressor run at partial speed. That means they only use the power needed to hold the temperature. Central air systems use a fixed speed compressor that cycles on and off. For a small addition a central system can short cycle meaning it runs in short bursts and never reaches peak efficiency. A mini split avoids that.
That said if you already have a modern high efficiency central system and the addition is small extending it might be fine. You will not see a huge difference in your electric bill either way for a single room. The main savings with a mini split come from not cooling the whole house when you are only using the new room. For a sunroom that gets used a few hours a day that is a real benefit.
We do not recommend it. Mini splits require precise refrigerant charging and electrical work. A bad DIY install can leak refrigerant, cause electrical fires, or void the warranty. Our flat rate of $2,400 covers professional installation with a guarantee the system runs properly before you pay the balance. Most homeowners find the peace of mind worth it.
Yes. Mini splits are actually a great fit for sunrooms because they can handle high heat loads from windows. We size the unit based on the room's square footage and window area. A properly sized mini split will keep a sunroom comfortable even in August. Just make sure the room has decent insulation and the windows are not single pane.
For a standard single zone installation we usually finish in one day. The crew arrives in the morning and is gone by late afternoon. You will have cooling that same day. We handle all the heavy lifting and cleanup. The deposit books your install day and the rest is due after you see the system running and approve it.
Permit requirements vary by city. In Austin and most surrounding areas a mini split installation typically requires a permit for electrical work. We handle whatever permits are needed for your job. That is included in the flat price. You do not have to worry about it. Just let us know where you are located and we take care of the rest.
Ready to talk about your addition or sunroom Call Jester Climate at (512) 297-7493 to book your install day with a $400 deposit and pay the flat $2,400 balance on completion.