Updated: November 4, 2024
What Is a Ductless Air Conditioner?
Many homes use traditional HVAC systems for climate control. These systems use forced air, with ducts that carry heated or cooled air throughout a home. While households across the United States rely on forced air HVAC for cooling or warmth, there may be a better solution: ductless HVAC systems. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of a ductless heating and cooling system — and how it can improve comfort and energy efficiency inside your home.
Is a Ductless HVAC System Right for Your Home?
Ductless HVAC systems are easy to install and offer efficient climate control for your home — often performing better than traditional forced-air systems. They use heat transfer to adjust temperatures inside your home. How? Ductless systems contain heat pumps that produce warm air, perfect for when temperatures dip. The air conditioning function absorbs heat through coils and refrigerants, releasing that heat outdoors to cool your interiors. With useful options such as wi-fi connectivity and remote control features, a ductless HVAC setup gives you convenience and comfort.
What Is a Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner?
While mini-split HVAC systems work well in many homes and offices, they’re particularly useful in older homes that can’t accommodate ductwork. Ductless HVAC can provide heating and cooling support for new additions to your home: sunrooms, offices, garages, and the like. They’re also ideal if you have family members with different comfort preferences — someone that prefers a room warmer, for instance.
How Do Ductless Air Conditioners Work?
A ductless heating and cooling system work differently than a traditional HVAC setup. Instead of using ducts that travel throughout your home, a mini-split system uses several indoor units plus a main outdoor unit to heat and cool your home. They break the home up into zones, with each one independently climate-controlled by an indoor unit. Also called air handlers, these units only need electricity and proper installation to do their jobs.
The Benefits of Ductless Air Conditioning
Ductless mini-split systems can replace window air conditioners, space heaters, baseboard heaters, and hot water radiators. Even if you currently have a standard HVAC system with ducts, you can switch to a ductless system and enjoy its benefits.
Ductless Can Save You Money
If you’re like many homeowners, you want an energy-efficient heating and cooling solution. Besides better climate control, you also wish to lower your energy bills. A mini-split HVAC saves you money with separate heating and cooling for each zone. You may prefer your bedroom to be cooler than the rest of your house, for instance. A ductless mini-split system lets you set your bedroom’s thermostat lower without affecting the temperature in other rooms.
Besides zoned heating and cool, mini-split heat pumps and air conditioners may offer savings through tax credits. While tax benefits can change from year to year, federal energy tax credits are usually awarded for HVAC upgrades that improve energy efficiency. The equipment must meet some minimum requirements to qualify for these credits. Some states and local jurisdictions have their own energy rebate programs.
Breathe Happier With a Mini-Split: They Improve Indoor Air Quality
You know that traditional HVAC systems rely on airflow to heat and cool your home. With that airflow comes dust and allergens that can cause upper respiratory issues. Duct cleaning is a key part of HVAC maintenance to cut down on these pollutants. Ductless systems, on the other hand, include multi-stage filtration processes that cut down on dust, pollen, and other allergens present in your indoor air. Keeping these air filters clean and replacing them as needed ensures that your air stays as clean as possible.
Mini-Split Systems Are Quick and Easy To Install
Forced air HVAC systems require a lot of time and work to install. Depending on the system, it may take several weeks. That’s especially true if the home does not have existing ductwork: Cutting paths and routing new ducts adds more time and can cost up to $10,000. But a ductless heating and cooling system can be installed quickly — within one day, in many cases. Only small pipes are needed, usually measuring less than 3 inches in diameter. No major wall modifications are required to install the pipes or the individual indoor and outdoor units.
Ductless Air Conditioning Lowers Your Carbon Footprint
Improving your home’s energy efficiency lowers your bills, but it also reduces your carbon footprint. Modern ductless mini-split systems help achieve this goal thanks in part to their use of R410A, a refrigerant that doesn’t impact our planet’s ozone layer. R410A also absorbs and releases heat better than its predecessor R22, which improves cooling system efficiency.
Ductless mini-split equipment must also meet guidelines from ENERGY STAR. Air conditioning units are assigned SEER ratings, and SEER, in this case, stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. Higher SEER ratings indicate that the equipment uses less energy. And if your electricity supplier uses solar or wind, that’s even better.
What Other Advantages Do Ductless HVAC Systems Have?
Energy efficiency, convenience, ease of installation, and positive environmental impacts are all great reasons to choose a ductless heating and cooling system. But there are a few additional benefits worth considering. Ductless mini-split equipment runs quieter. You may not even notice the air handler as you go about your day-to-day life. Mini-splits also free up additional space because the air handlers hang on walls closer to the ceiling.
Ductless heating and air systems can last between 15 and 25 years with regular maintenance. Taking care of yours is simple — all you need to do is clean the mini-splits air filters every month. Most filter models can be cleaned by running them through your dishwasher. Meanwhile, you’ll want to ensure that you schedule professional checkups twice a year.
Ductless HVAC: An Efficient, Convenient, and Energy-Smart Solution
Ductless systems use efficient equipment that reduces your energy usage, leading to lower heating and cooling costs plus cutting down on your carbon footprint. Independent room temperature controls and fast installation add convenience and comfort while saving you time.
The Weather Changers proudly serves the Greater Denver Metro area with professional heating, cooling, and indoor air quality solutions. Count on us for honest pricing, superior workmanship, and complete satisfaction. Get an estimate for your ductless heating and cooling system by booking an appointment through our online form. Got questions? Call us at (720) 594-3108.
Image Source: Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock
