I'm in the middle of a bit of a home reno project right now, and I've hit a snag trying to figure out the ventilation setup. I've narrowed it down to either going with a ducted system or one of those ductless setups. Honestly, I thought this would be an easy decision, but the more I read, the more confused I get, lol.
From what I'm seeing, ducted systems seem pretty solid—good airflow, quieter operation since the main unit is tucked away somewhere else, and they seem to handle larger spaces better. But then again, installing ducts sounds like a major pain (and expense), especially since my house wasn't originally built with them in mind. I'm picturing walls torn open and dust everywhere...ugh.
On the other hand, ductless systems (like those mini-split things) look way simpler to install and seem pretty flexible. Plus, you can control different rooms separately, which sounds awesome because my partner is always freezing while I'm sweating buckets. But I've heard mixed things about how well they actually ventilate and circulate air through the whole house. Some people say they're great; others complain about uneven temperatures or humidity issues.
I guess I'm just wondering if anyone here has experience with either type? Like if you've installed one or the other recently—or even better, tried both at some point—I'd love to hear how it's working out for you. Is the convenience of ductless worth it? Or does ducted really make that big of a difference in comfort and air quality?
Any personal stories or advice would be super helpful right now...I'm kinda stuck in analysis paralysis mode over here.
