Not all that many years ago, there were limited options for heating and cooling a house without ductwork.
My house was built in the mid-1800s, and the walls are constructed from plaster and a lathe.
Any type of reconstruction would be extremely labor-intensive, expensive and create a huge mess. For the interior walls, the studs are turned sideways to create more living space. They are too thin to accommodate ductwork. Rather than destroy the architectural history of the residence and tackle such a gigantic project, we did our best to manage comfort with a combination of portable options. We used a variety of electric heaters, window air conditioners, portable air conditioners and box fans. The equipment was unattractive and not overly effective. We were really excited when we learned about high-velocity heating and cooling systems. The advantage of this type of temperature control is the mini-ducts. The system utilizes ductwork that is only two inches in diameter and flexible enough to be snaked through existing walls without damage. The ducts accommodate studs, electrical outlets and water pipes. The indoor compressor is compact enough to install in a closet. The vents are circular in shape, only six inches across and allow freedom of location. By delivering heated or cooled air into the rooms of the home at an especially high rate of speed, the high-velocity system raises or lowers temperature very quickly. The smaller, insulated ductwork minimizes energy losses. The shorter run times also reduce energy consumption, making high-velocity systems wonderfully efficient. My husband and I are just relieved to have centralized heating and cooling.