These days, most people have heard of a ductless system for cooling and heating. They’re starting to crop up in more and more places in the United States, and if you’re wondering what’s behind them, how they work, and whether there’s any advantage to using a ductless system, read on to learn more.
What Is a Ductless Air Con System?
Traditional air conditioning systems have come in two forms. Central air systems would cover an entire home and feature an outdoor unit connected throughout the house by a series of ducts. The other form that you tend to see are window units. Central air systems had the advantage of being able to cool the entire house at once, but ducts are notoriously leaky and a lot of the HVAC system’s energy would be lost to the ductwork. Meanwhile, window units don’t always fit well in the windows and tend to be very noisy and inefficient.
A ductless system separates the blower from the compressor. The blower is mounted inside the house on a wall while the compressor is located outside. The two are connected by a small hole through the wall.
What Are the Advantages of a Ductless System?
There are several advantages to using a ductless system for air conditioning and heating. Here are five of them:
- They are more efficient. One of the biggest reasons anyone switches to a ductless system is the cost savings. Central air conditioning systems tend to be very inefficient because of energy loss to the ducts but also because it is necessary to cool or heat the entire house at one time. When you have a ductless system installed, you can turn air conditioners on and off in each room as needed. Meanwhile, unlike with window units, you can keep all the windows closed and doing their job in terms of insulating your house.
- The mini split AC offers great flexibility. In your traditional heating and cooling system, the whole house has to be set to one temperature. Some rooms inevitably are warmer or cooler than other rooms, and the homeowner has little control over which rooms are which. This can lead to problems when it’s necessary to adjust temperatures to meet the needs of one person or one room, which can cause problems for another person or another room. With a mini split AC system, it’s possible to adjust each room individually for the comfort of whoever is in it. There’s also no need to worry about turning one room into an ice chamber just to make a different room livable.
- Ductless systems are easy to install. Traditional HVAC service can be time-consuming and installation can take weeks and disrupt all the activities in the home. A ductless system is noninvasive and can take as little as a day to get set up, depending upon how many rooms you’re doing. The only thing necessary to connect the inner and outer units is a three-inch hole, which means no rebuilding walls and ceilings.
- Ductless systems provide cleaner air. It’s all too easy to neglect cleaning and maintenance on a traditional HVAC system. Without regular cleaning, however, the air flowing into your home can be even more polluted than what’s outside your home. Ductless systems come with several filters easily removable from the indoor units. Enzyme and carbon filters can be replaced simply, while the washable prefilter is a quick rinse and reinsert.
- Ductless systems are energy efficient. Compared to other forms of heating and air conditioning, the ductless system is extremely energy efficient. The average home loses approximately 25% of the energy expended on cooling or heating into the ductwork, so just removing ducts guarantees you efficiency. Inverter-driven compressors, which are standard on the ductless system, change speed instead of going on and off entirely. This allows you to avoid enormous energy consumption as compressors start up.
There are a lot of reasons to consider getting a ductless system for heating and cooling. A ductless system is energy efficient, provides flexibility, is easy to install, and ensures you clean and comfortable air for years to come.