I am a recent graduate from college and have rented my first apartment.
It’s a basement apartment, and the landlord told me that he was going to have air conditioning installed in the near future.
My first thought was that a basement apartment should be cool enough without air conditioning. But what I soon realized was that the humidity was the reason why an air conditioner was necessary. True to his promise, within the first month of my lease, an HVAC contractor came to inspect my place, explaining that basements presented a particular challenge. For example, the high levels of moisture and humidity that exist in basement apartments cause significant discomfort. They are also what lead to the growth of mold and mildew. The right air conditioning system will address these, as well as getting fresh air into the basement space. The landlord decided on a ductless mini-split air conditioning system because traditional a/c systems offer less-than-ideal choices. Traditional a/c systems need a lot of complex rerouting and extension of ducts. This would require lots of extra labor and higher operational costs. Likewise, installing a separate heating and cooling system from the rest of the building cost higher energy bills in the long run. That’s why the ductless mini-split air conditioning system makes the most sense – there’s no need for additional ductwork. All you need is an outdoor compressor unit with a connected indoor air handler. You also don’t need to have separate systems for heating and cooling. This is because the system functions as both a heat pump and an air conditioner. Finally, mini split systems are designed with excellent dehumidifiers that increase comfort and decrease mold and mildew.