If you’re a homeowner here in Greensboro, NC, then you likely already know that heating and air conditioning make up a large part of your home’s energy use. As a result, there’s a good chance that you’ve gone looking for ways to improve your HVAC efficiency. If so, you may have come across some startling claims about ductless mini split HVAC systems. They promise flexible installation and almost unheard-of operational efficiency. But how do they do it? And where did this seemingly new technology come from? Well, wonder no more. Here’s everything you need to know about ductless mini splits.
What Is a Ductless Mini Split?
A ductless mini split is a type of HVAC system that can provide heating and air conditioning to a home or business. Unlike traditional central HVAC systems, however, they don’t require a network of ductwork running throughout your home. Instead, they feature a single outdoor condenser unit that serves one or more indoor air handlers. With a mini split, you install an air handler in each room that requires heating and cooling. And each air handler connects back to the outdoor unit with a bundle of refrigerant lines and electrical cables.
Are Ductless Mini Splits New?
To anyone outside of the HVAC industry, it may seem that ductless mini split HVAC systems came out of nowhere. However, they were actually invented in 1959 in Japan by Mitsubishi. The reason for their invention was a lack of space in densely-packed Japanese cities. That required a type of HVAC system that was small, quiet, and easy to install.
It may also surprise you to learn that ductless mini splits are the favored type of HVAC system throughout much of the world. They’re popular because most of the developed countries in Europe and elsewhere feature older homes which made ducted systems impractical. Plus, higher energy costs outside of the US demands heating and cooling solutions that conserve as much energy as possible.
Here in Greensboro, like elsewhere in the U.S., most homes built since the 1960s featured built-in ductwork designed to support traditional central HVAC systems. For that reason, ductless mini splits simply didn’t gain any traction here until recently. However, now that they’ve arrived on U.S. shores, homeowners from coast to coast are increasingly starting to see them as a desirable heating and cooling option.
What Makes a Ductless Mini Split So Efficient?
Since efficiency is a major reason why homeowners might want a ductless mini split, you’re likely wondering why they routinely outperform ducted systems. Unsurprisingly, their lack of ductwork is one of their biggest efficiency advantages. According to expert estimates, the average ducted HVAC system experiences as much as 30% of its energy losses via its ductwork. This can happen due to poor insulation and air leakage, which get worse as ductwork ages.
On top of that, ductless mini split systems also use variable-speed fans and power inverter technology to minimize electricity use at all times. As a result, it’s common to find ductless mini split systems with SEER ratings of 20 or more, with some on the market with ratings in the 30s. That places them among the most efficient air conditioning options you’ll find.
You should also know, though, that ductless mini split systems can also provide heat for your home, too. And that’s where they really shine, efficiency-wise. This is because ductless mini splits use heat pump technology to heat your home. For that reason, they don’t consume electricity to generate heat. Instead, they collect heat energy from the outside air and carry it inside your home in the winter. It’s a process that can result in efficiency levels of up to 400% in optimal conditions!
The efficiency advantages of ductless mini splits don’t end there, however. They also benefit from offering zoned heating and cooling by default. Since they feature air handlers in each room of your home, they allow you to set different temperatures in each room, too. So, you won’t have to pay to over-cool or over-heat parts of your home that don’t require it. You can even turn off the air handlers in the rooms you’re not using to save even more money on your electric bills.
The Other Advantages of Ductless Mini Splits
High efficiency isn’t the only advantage that ductless mini splits have to offer. Another advantage is that they’re fairly simple to install. All that’s necessary is the placement of the system’s outdoor unit and the electrical wiring to support it. Then, installing the indoor air handlers is as simple as mounting them on a wall, drilling a small hole to pass the refrigerant and electrical cabling through, and making the appropriate connections.
For homes that don’t already have ductwork in their walls, this is a simpler and cheaper way to add efficient air conditioning and heating. They’re also an excellent option if you need to extend air conditioning or heating to parts of your home that didn’t previously have it. So, they’re a good fit for basement finishing projects or if you build an addition onto your home.
The Disadvantages of Ductless Mini Splits
Of course, ductless mini splits aren’t perfect. They do come with some disadvantages you should know about. Their primary disadvantage is their cost. You can expect to pay more for a mini split system large enough to heat and cool your whole home, compared to a ducted system. The only exception to that is a home that lacks existing ductwork, which would significantly increase the total cost of installing a ducted system.
Another drawback to ductless mini splits is that you’ll have to live with air handlers installed throughout your home. While most mini splits feature sleek wall-mounted air handlers, they’re far from invisible and may clash with your home’s décor. And although there are ceiling-mounted and other less-obtrusive air handler options you could choose; they can add even more to the cost of a ductless mini split system. On top of that, you’ll also need to remember that each air handler has its own air filter. That means your regular maintenance routine will be more involved with a mini split than with a central ducted system.
Lastly, you should also know that ductless mini splits, like all heat pumps, can struggle in extremely cold weather. As the temperature drops below 32 degrees, heat pumps begin losing some of their vaunted efficiency. This means that the average ductless mini split may end up being less efficient than a modern furnace once the outside temperature falls below about 22 degrees. However, it’s also worth pointing out that their extreme efficiency at all other times will almost always allow you to end up spending less money on your heating costs over an entire winter.
Your Ductless Mini Split Source
Now that you know just about everything there is to know about ductless mini split HVAC systems, you’re well-equipped to decide if one might be a good option for your home. And if the answer is yes, Aurora Pro Services Heating, Air, Plumbing, Electrical, & Roofing can help. Our helpful staff can help you choose the right ductless mini split system for your home, and our team of expert HVAC technicians can install it for you with minimal disruption. And if a ducted system would be a better fit, we can handle that too. Plus, we offer comprehensive plumbing, electrical, and roofing services as well.
If you’d like to add a ductless mini split to your Greensboro home, or have any other HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or roofing needs, call Aurora Pro Services Heating, Air, Plumbing, Electrical, & Roofing today!
