With summer around the corner, people aren’t only looking forward to great weather and sunshine. They’re also dreading sweltering temperatures and oppressive heat in the rooms on the third floor of their York, PA home. 

Even with central air, the top floor of any home can remain too hot and humid. But, with the right equipment, you finally make the top floor just as comfortable as your living room — maybe even more so! 

The not-so-secret weapon here is ductless heating and cooling. With a heat pump and air handlers, you can zero in on any part of the house that’s hard to heat and cool. 

In this article, we’ll cover: 

• Why The Third Floor Is Tough To Cool
• Ductless Air Conditioners For Third-Story Rooms
• Mini-Splits Vs. Portable And Window Air Conditioners
• More Benefits Of Ductless Heating And Cooling 

And, if you want to finally get that extra lying space on the third floor of your York, PA home comfortable in any season, reach out to us at Air Comfort Technologies for a free consultation!

Why The Third Floor Is Tough To Cool

First off, why is the third floor always too hot in the summer? And too cold in the winter, for that matter? In most cases, the answer is a combination of simple physics and most HVAC systems’ limitations. 

Heat Rises

Let’s go back to science class for a moment. We all remember that heat rises. 

In the winter, heat goes up to the top floor. Then, it keeps going. Warmth always moves toward cold spots, and in the winter, that’s outside.

But, in the summer, the sun is beating down on your roof. The heat that’s rising hits the warmth coming down from the ceiling. With nowhere to go, it makes that third floor unbearably hot. 

Weak Air Pressure

Even with ductwork and vents, the top floors are always a problem. If your furnace is in the basement, the air has a long way to go. Your system often can’t generate enough pressure to push enough cool air up to the third floor. 

Remember, the forced air also exits the system in all the other rooms. Each opening means less pressure for the next vent along the way. When the third floor’s the last stop, the airflow is weak. Even when the ductwork gets narrower to create more pressure, that top story never gets the right treatment. 

That’s where ductless comes in. 

Ductless Air Conditioners For Third-Story Rooms

Imagine the power of a central air conditioning system. Then, imagine the zoned control and customization you get with a window AC. Now imagine a system that combines both — and costs less to run. That’s what you get with ductless air conditioners. 

Sure, there’s a considerable investment upfront. But, once you’ve bought the system and had it installed, it’s nothing but benefits. 

Read More: What Does A Ductless Mini-Split Cost In South Central Pennsylvania? 

The ductless system, also called a mini-split, delivers its full strength to each room it treats. That’s because it only moves heat, not air. 

Each wall-mounted air handler has a thermostat on it, so you’re regulating the temperature based on what’s actually happening up there. This unit draws in the air from that room, heats or cools it, and re-circulates it. Meanwhile, it’s connected to a heat pump outside. 

Now, here’s the trick: The only component connecting the two is a lineset that sends refrigerant liquid back and forth in a closed loop. That coolant carries heat out of the house in the summer and into your home in the winter. 

This way, it’s like getting the strongest possible air pressure and treatment, no matter how much space there is between the room and source. 

Read More: MetEd Rebates For Energy-Efficient Heaters And Air Conditioners

Mini-Splits Vs. Portable And Window Air Conditioners

You may be wondering why you’d bother with this whole setup. After all, can’t you get that customized, “zoned” cooling with a window AC or portable air conditioner? 

Well, you could certainly set up a portable solution for less money than a mini-split. But, the benefits end there. The portable solutions are easy to install. But, they use a lot of power. If you’ve had them before, you know how high your electric bill can go once they start running. 

And for all that money, you never really get great cooling. They also come at the expense of sunlight: they take up window space to work. 

With a mini-split, there’s no dragging units out of storage, cleaning them off, and shoving them in a window. Ductless units are also better at heating and cooling a wide-open space. And, the advantages don’t stop there. 

Read More: How To Heat The Bonus Room Above A Garage

More Benefits Of Ductless Heating And Cooling

For third stories, in particular, ductless heating and cooling offers excellent comfort in a part of the house that never seems to get the proper treatment. And. in general, a mini-split is: 

• Customizable
• Add Heating
• Energy-Efficient 
• Whisper-Quiet

Customizable

You can add up to eight air handlers on a single heat pump. That means you can add extra comfort to more rooms than one if you like! And, you can do that over time. Since each indoor unit has a thermostat, you’ll always get that same customization.

Add Heating

Usually, a room that’s too hot in the summer is also way too cold in the winter. With a mini-split, you have one system that handles it all! Most heat pumps can provide warmth as long as it’s 40 degrees or warmer outside. A Hyper Heat model can heat an entire home even in subzero temperatures.  

Read More: Ductless Vs. Baseboard Heaters 

Energy-Efficient

The one place you won’t notice the excellent heating and cooling is on your utility bills! Mini-splits use a fraction of the power that natural gas furnaces, central air, baseboard heat, and especially window and portable ACs require. And, treating the problem rooms helps even out the HVAC treatment for the rest of your home. 

That all adds up to better comfort all around with less cost each month. 

Whisper-Quiet

Finally, these systems hardly make a sound! Even when it’s running on full blast and the room is perfectly silent, the air handler is as quiet as people whispering in a library. That makes watching television, having conversations, or just enjoying some peace and quiet easier than ever. 

Read More: At What Temperature Will A Heat Pump Work?

Ductless Mini-Split Installations In York, PA

Do you want your third-floor rooms to be more comfortable than ever in every season — without paying a lot each month for it? Reach out to us at Air Comfort Technologies. Starting with a free consultation, we’ll help you decide if a ductless mini-split is the right choice for your York, PA home.