Working With an HVAC Company During Renovations

Renovation dust gets into places you didn’t know existed. It clogs filters, drifts into supply registers, and settles on evaporator coils that should never see grit. I’ve walked into homes where a beautifully remodeled kitchen shared a thermostat with a wheezing, overworked air handler, and the owners wondered why their brand-new cabinets smelled faintly like drywall for months. Coordinating with an HVAC company while you renovate is not a luxury; it’s the difference between a home that feels right on day one and a home that fights you at every season change.
The conversation that should happen before demolition
Contractors like to say dust is a sign of progress. It’s also a sign your HVAC system needs a plan. Before the first wall comes down, bring your HVAC company into the conversation with your general contractor, architect, and any specialty trades. Floor plans and elevations are helpful, but what the HVAC team really needs is load information: square footage changes, ceiling height changes, window and ac repair https://list.ly/ripinnyiht door specs, insulation targets, and whether you’re adding people-heavy spaces like a home gym or office.

I’ve seen a 500 square foot addition with cathedral ceilings destroy a previously well-balanced system. The original 2.5-ton unit now had to condition more volume, new glazing, and a west-facing wall that cooked every afternoon. The homeowners kept asking for more supply air in the addition. The real answer was a new load calculation, not a bigger supply register. Your HVAC contractor should run a Manual J load calc for the whole home after design changes, not just guesstimate based on tonnage per square foot. Expect the number to move if you upgrade windows or insulation, which can sometimes save enough load to avoid replacing equipment.
Protecting the system during the messy middle
The dirtiest days of renovation are the ones that hurt HVAC systems most. Sawdust, drywall compound, and fine demolition grit are abrasive and adhesive. They cake onto blower wheels, insulate coils, and muffle heat exchange. If the air handler runs while you’re cutting tile within 30 feet, you’re essentially vacuuming the job site into your ducts.

Work with your HVAC company and general contractor to set a job-sequencing plan. Many projects benefit from temporary heating or cooling that doesn’t involve the house system. Portable electric heaters, spot coolers, or a rental air handler set up in a closed loop can bridge the gap. If you must use the home system for climate control, set firm rules: seal returns in work zones, use pleated filters, and check those filters daily. I’ve changed filters in the middle of a project that were clogged after 48 hours.

Duct protection is more than plastic over registers. If you’re cutting a new chase or relocating a return, cap the open ductwork and seal seams with mastic before it disappears behind drywall. Make sure the crew understands that a return opening is not a trash chute, and that a return closet is not a storage closet. It sounds obvious, but I have pulled a paint roller and a handful of screws from a return plenum.
Deciding whether to keep, replace, or add zones
Renovations force hard decisions. You might be tempted to keep your existing equipment and simply extend ductwork into new spaces. Sometimes that works. Sometimes it creates a house with two personalities, one comfortable and one grumpy.

A good HVAC company will present you with three kinds of options. First, keep the existing equipment and rebalance distribution. This can work if the added load is modest and your unit has headroom. Expect duct resizing, new dampers, and possibly a variable-speed blower retrofit if the air handler supports it.

Second, replace the equipment with a right-sized system. If your furnace or condenser is within three to five years of its typical lifespan end, replacement can be cost-effective when you’re already opening walls. Efficiency gains from a modern variable-speed heat pump or two-stage furnace can reduce operating costs enough to justify the investment, especially if you’re adding insulation and better windows.

Third, create a new zone or use a ductless mini-split for the addition. I lean toward zoned solutions when the addition has very different exposure, loads, or occupancy patterns. A south-facing sunroom doesn’t need the same schedule as a north-facing bedroom. A single or multi-zone ductless system can handle the addition without punishing the main system. The trade-off is more outdoor equipment and wall cassettes or slim ducts that require coordination with the interior design.
Ventilation, code, and the air you actually breathe
Many renovation projects unintentionally worsen indoor air quality. Airtight windows and spray-foam insulation improve energy performance but reduce incidental infiltration. Without a ventilation plan, you can trap humidity and pollutants indoors.

Ask your HVAC company about balanced ventilation options. A simple exhaust-only strategy, like a strong bath fan on a timer, is better than nothing, but it depressurizes the home and can pull air from crawlspaces or garages. Energy recovery ventilators and heat recovery ventilators exchange heat and humidity between incoming fresh air and outgoing stale air. They can be ducted to the main trunk or dedicated to key spaces. In humid climates, I see measurable improvements when an ERV operates on a schedule tied to occupancy.

Kitchens and baths deserve special attention. Range hoods should vent outdoors, and the duct run should be short with minimal elbows. Don’t let an ornate hood overshadow the CFM and capture area it needs, especially with induction or high-output gas cooking. Bath fans need to be quiet and strong enough to clear humidity, vented through a proper roof or wall cap, not into the attic.
Ductwork design that respects the architecture
One of the hardest parts of a renovation is finding paths for ducts that don’t fight the design. I’ve spent hours crawling joist bays and sketching routes that avoid beams, plumbing stacks, and can lights. It’s worth it. Restrictive, convoluted ductwork ruins comfort and noise performance.

Aim for larger, shorter runs with gentle elbows. Insulate ducts in unconditioned spaces and seal every joint with mastic, not duct tape. Oversized trunk lines with properly sized branches make balancing easier and reduce whistling. If you’re opening ceilings anyway, consider moving a central return to a better location or adding multiple smaller returns for even pressure. This is the time to fix the tiny return in the hallway that has choked your airflow for fifteen years.

When a full rework isn’t feasible, even small improvements help. Swapping a restrictive stamped-face register for a high free-area grille can reduce noise and increase flow by measurable percentages. Replacing flex duct that’s been crushed into an S-curve with a properly supported run can restore hundreds of CFM. These tweaks are inexpensive when the ceiling is already open.
Controls, sensors, and the art of not overcomplicating it
Smart thermostats and sensors help, but only if they align with the way you live. I like remote temperature sensors in rooms that are ac repair https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?search=ac repair chronically warmer or cooler than the thermostat location. In a renovation, this might be the new primary suite over the garage or the family room with big glass. Some systems allow sensor averaging or occupancy weighting, which can smooth out extremes.

Zoning requires careful setup. Motorized dampers and a zone control board can deliver precise comfort, but they need bypass strategies or variable-speed blowers to avoid static pressure problems. Don’t rely on a contractor who says, “We’ll just throw in a bypass damper.” That approach can create short-cycling and coil icing. A better path uses blower modulation and correct damper sizing. Your HVAC company should commission the system with a manometer, not just a hunch.

Wi-Fi access is handy for monitoring while you travel, and for receiving maintenance alerts before small issues cascade into big ones. Just remember the simplest schedule that keeps you comfortable often works best. Overly aggressive setbacks can cause long recovery times, especially with heat pumps in very cold weather.
Noise, vibration, and where equipment lives
Equipment placement affects daily life. A condenser next to a bedroom window might hum just enough to bother a light sleeper. An air handler hung from joists above a nursery can telegraph vibration through the structure.

Plan these details early. Condensers like airflow and shade, away from bedroom windows and social spaces. Use anti-vibration pads, proper line set supports, and isolation hangers for air handlers. Keep service clearances generous. I have seen pristine mechanical rooms that look great until you try to remove a coil or replace a blower. A few extra inches on every side can save a service tech hours and save you money down the road.

If you’re using an attic air handler, consider a secondary drain pan with a float switch and a drain line slope that won’t become a mold farm. If the handler sits in a closet, specify a louvered or undercut door with adequate return air, or better, a dedicated return grille. Starving the unit for air will make it loud and inefficient.
Moisture management and the hidden job of air conditioning
Good cooling doesn’t just lower temperature, it controls humidity. Renovations shift the moisture balance. New tight envelopes reduce infiltration, which is helpful, but they also reduce incidental dehumidification needs during mild weather. Some homes then run into a paradox: at mild temperatures the system doesn’t run long enough to pull out moisture, so relative humidity creeps higher.

If you live in a humid climate, talk about supplemental dehumidification. A whole-house dehumidifier tied into the return can maintain 45 to 55 percent relative humidity without overcooling the space. In basements, a dedicated standalone unit may be enough, especially if you’re finishing the space and adding carpet or wood. Wherever water goes, plan for redundancy: float switch, drain pan, a clean, accessible trap, and an easily serviced condensate pump if gravity won’t do.
Budgeting with the right level of detail
Renovation budgets are a game of trade-offs. It helps to see HVAC costs in layers: equipment, ductwork, controls, ventilation, and contingencies. Equipment quotes should list model numbers and efficiency ratings, not just “3-ton condenser.” Ductwork should be quantified with sizes and locations, not “as needed.” Controls should specify thermostats, zone boards, and sensors. Ventilation should detail ERV or HRV models, duct routing, and terminations.

Contingencies matter because surprises happen once walls open. I’ve found return ducts that never connected to the plenum and supply trunks with 40 percent leakage at seams. Plan 10 to 20 percent contingency for HVAC scope changes, especially in older houses. That buffer lowers stress when you discover the perfect joist bay for a duct is occupied by a plumbing stack from 1965.
How to choose and use an HVAC company during the project
Licenses and references are the floor, not the ceiling. What separates a reliable HVAC company is their willingness to coordinate with your build schedule, communicate trade-offs in plain language, and show up for commissioning and follow-up. If they can only talk tonnage, keep looking. If they bring a flow hood, static pressure gauge, and a notepad to your walkthrough, you’re on the right track.

Most strong HVAC services teams will happily sit with your GC weekly during mechanical rough-in. They’ll flag conflicts early, like a beam that blocks a main trunk or a bath fan terminating into soffit vents. They’ll push for pre-drywall inspections to verify duct sealing and support. They’ll schedule startup and balancing when the space is clean enough to run without inhaling drywall dust.

If you have multiple bids, notice how each company frames risk. One may promote replacement to avoid callbacks. Another may propose surgical duct changes and a maintenance plan. Sometimes the lower price comes with less commissioning. Commissioning is where many mistakes show up: low airflow, refrigerant charge off by a few ounces, fan speed wrong for the static pressure. A thorough startup saves you a season of “something feels off.”
Keeping your home livable during construction
Comfort isn’t just temperature. It’s noise, air quality, schedule, and predictability. If you’re living in the house during renovation, decide which rooms must remain conditioned and clean. Use temporary plastic walls and zipper doors to separate work zones. Positive or negative pressure setups with a box fan and a furnace filter can help keep dust from migrating, though you should ask your contractor to set up proper air scrubbers when cutting drywall in place.

If your system must run during messy phases, step up your filter cadence and keep a log. Write filter change dates on the frame with a marker. Hold the used filter up to light; if you can’t see through it, you waited too long. Keep interior doors open during operation unless a space has a dedicated return, especially when you’ve temporarily blocked a return in a work zone. Starved returns can cavitate blower wheels and overheat the system.
Planning for maintenance and emergencies post-renovation
The first season after a renovation is the most telling. Filters clog faster than usual as residual dust works its way out. Duct sealing may reveal itself through quieter operation or through a new whistle at a grille that needs a size adjustment. Schedule a post-occupancy tune-up after 60 to 90 days. Ask for a static pressure check, coil inspection, and airflow verification at key registers.

Even the best projects can run into hiccups. A condensate line might clog during a heat wave, or a control board might fail. Keep the HVAC company’s contact handy and understand their coverage for emergency AC repair. Some ac repair services offer priority response for customers enrolled in maintenance plans, which can be worth it during the first year when teething issues are most likely. Fast ac service can be the difference between a tolerable weekend and a miserable one if a failure hits during extreme weather.
War stories and quiet wins
On one project, a 1920s bungalow gained a rear addition with a vaulted family room. The owners wanted invisible comfort and no soffits. The joist bays were shallow, the budget tight, and the sun brutal in late afternoon. We added exterior shading, bumped the attic insulation, and ran a short, oversized trunk above a new hallway with two carefully placed supply registers high on the wall. A small, dedicated ducted mini-split handled the family room, and the existing system was relieved of the worst load. The space stayed within 1 to 2 degrees of setpoint through August, and the electric bill was only 8 percent higher than before the addition, despite a 20 percent increase in area.

Another project had a flawless kitchen but a perpetually damp basement after finishing. The main system cooled quickly and shut off, leaving humidity high. We added a whole-house dehumidifier tied into the return with a dedicated return from the basement. Humidity dropped from the mid-60s to 50 percent, the musty smell vanished, and the owners stopped overcooling to feel comfortable.

These are not miracles. They are the result of measured steps, good information, and a contractor who treats the HVAC system as part of the architecture, not an afterthought.
A short checklist you’ll be glad you used Bring your HVAC company to the table before demolition with drawings, window specs, and insulation plans. Insist on a Manual J load calculation after design changes and a commissioning plan before occupancy. Protect the system during dirty phases with sealed returns, frequent filter changes, and, if possible, temporary climate control. Decide on zoning or supplemental systems based on exposure and use, not just square footage. Schedule a post-renovation tune-up to catch settling dust, verify airflow, and baseline static pressure. When the scope changes midstream
Renovations almost always evolve. Maybe you decide to vault a ceiling, or an unexpected structural beam appears and forces a duct reroute. Don’t treat HVAC as a fixed line item when the building itself changes. Call your HVAC company back to the site to reassess. A small shift like moving a return can restore balance in a way that duct resizing alone cannot. If you add a room destined for heavy use later, stub in a capped supply and a control wire now, while access is easy. You can finish the run later without opening finished ceilings.

Rebates and incentives sometimes tilt decisions. High-efficiency heat pumps can qualify for incentives that offset a significant chunk of cost, especially when replacing resistance heat or an older AC. Codes evolve too. If your renovation crosses thresholds for mechanical ventilation or duct leakage testing, plan the time and budget to pass those tests. Passing on the first try is not luck; it’s sealing, support, and a tech with a smoke puffer and patience.
Working relationship, not just a work order
The best projects read like collaboration, not a transaction. Your general contractor coordinates trades, but you can help by giving your HVAC company clear priorities. Tell them where noise would be unacceptable, where aesthetics trump grille placement, and how you actually use the space. If you work from home and live in a climate with big shoulder seasons, share that you value humidity control even when it’s 68 degrees outside. That kind of detail guides decisions on staging, blower profiles, and whether to recommend a dehumidifier.

If you do need emergency ac repair after move-in, the company that installed the system already understands the duct layout, the control strategy, and the quirks of the remodel. That familiarity cuts diagnostic time. AC repair services for systems they didn’t install can still handle the job, but they’ll spend more time reverse-engineering. A maintenance plan binds you to scheduled filter changes, coil cleanings, and seasonal checks that keep you out of the emergency category more often than not.
The quiet payoff
When all the cutting, taping, and sanding end, the goal is simple. You want air that feels the same in the new guest room as it does in the old dining room. You want a range hood that actually captures steam. You want to stop thinking about the thermostat because the house holds steady without fuss. That outcome doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from early planning, dust discipline, right-sized equipment, ductwork that respects physics, and an HVAC company that treats commissioning as a craft.

Renovations expose your home’s bones and your HVAC system’s secrets. Use that window. Fix the constraints while access is easy. Budget for the details that deliver comfort long after the painter leaves. If you choose an HVAC services partner who listens, measures, and explains, you’ll feel the difference every day, not just see it on a set of plans. And when something does go wrong, you’ll have a team ready to provide clear guidance and timely ac service, not just a number on a magnet stuck to the fridge.

Prime HVAC Cleaners
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Address: 3340 W Coleman Rd, Kansas City, MO 64111
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Phone: (816) 323-0204
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