If you’re thinking about upgrading your home’s HVAC system, a ductless mini split is an excellent choice. These efficient systems offer several benefits including easy installation, zoning capability and precise temperature control.
Ductless mini splits are also less expensive than installing a new central air system or repairing existing ductwork. This is because a ductless mini split heat pump doesn’t have the same operating costs as a traditional ducted system. They use less energy, which cuts your utility bill. Lastly, most models come with multiple fan speeds, which helps lower your utility bills by cooling off your house quickly.
A ductless mini split system uses an outdoor compressor/condenser unit and indoor air-handling units connected by thin conduit that houses the power cable, refrigerant tubing and suction tubing. You mount the indoor wall units on the walls in the rooms you want to cool, and they’re programmed via a remote for ultra-precise room-by-room temperature control. You can even place them in creative places, like in bookcases, old radiator covers and under stairs (although you’ll need a professional to run the conduit through a vent opening).
Ductless mini-split systems are ideal for retrofit add-ons to homes with non-ducted heating such as hydronic or radiant panels, or for new construction in which the homeowner doesn’t want the expense of distribution ductwork or cannot accommodate it due to design or layout constraints. They’re also a great solution for homes with ductwork that needs repair or replacement, and for rooms such as attics, additions and converted garages that don’t get enough heating and cooling.
In general, the size of your home that a ductless system Mini Split AC can cool depends on the number of indoor units professionally installed and their BTU rating. A single zone system can have up to four indoor air handling units that are connected to one outdoor unit. By turning the units off in unoccupied rooms, you can save energy by only conditioning those spaces that need it.
While a mini-split system can reduce your energy bills, it’s important that you have an experienced and certified installer to ensure the correct calculations are made when purchasing and installing a ductless system. If your system isn’t properly sized, it will waste energy and cause your utility bills to go up.
Lastly, if you’re concerned about how loud your ductless system is, keep in mind that each indoor wall unit can be programmed to operate at different times, and you can adjust the operation of the outdoor unit accordingly. Manufacturers’ ratings generally show indoor units that range from 20-49 decibels and outdoor units between 45-60. That’s equivalent to a whisper or a library indoors and the noise of a quiet suburb outdoors. You’ll barely notice it.