Mini-split AC systems, also known as mini-split heat pumps, have been very popular in recent times. They offer many advantages over portable and window air conditioners and are more affordable than whole-house AC units. If you need to heat or cool a specific room in your house, ductless mini split installation could be the right choice.
What is a Mini-Split AC Ductless?
This air conditioner, which doesn't require ductwork and is small enough to be split into two parts, has the name "ductless minisplit". The unit has an outdoor compressor/condenser as well as an indoor evaporator/air handling unit. It can be mounted on the wall or ceiling of most rooms. The indoor evaporator/air handling units are less common and can be mounted on a wall or ceiling as a freestanding unit.
The components of a Ductless Mini Split Heat Pump
One outdoor compressor can be connected to up to eight indoor evaporator units by a mini-split AC unit. These units are located in different rooms. Multiple indoor evaporators can be used to create "zoned heating and cooling" in your home. Each zone is controlled by its own thermostat. You can heat or cool where and when you want. Mini-split AC units can be purchased in kits, which include one compressor, one, two or more indoor evaporator unit, and a few other accessories. Mini-split AC kits include all mounting and attachment parts such as refrigerant lines that connect the compressor to the unit(s). See this ductless mini split replacement as an example. The hoses pass through a hole in the exterior wall that is typically 3 inches wide.
Is A Mini Split Better Than A Conventional Air Conditioner?
Renters and homeowners prefer to cool a single room in their homes with a portable or plug-in air conditioner. The mini-split air conditioner is a hybrid of these two types and offers some of the benefits of each. It heats and then cools. Mini-split AC can be described as a heat pump that heats and cools. It uses refrigeration technology to heat and cool. It heats the outside air by extracting heat and delivering it to your rooms. This is more efficient than heating with electric resistance or using fuel like gas or oil. It works more efficiently than conventional furnaces or air conditioners because it uses heat-pump technology. Mini-split AC units can heat in colder climates as well as more affordably than gas furnaces. If you are considering buying a minisplit AC unit for heat in this region, make sure it has the right capacity to provide your heating needs. This is covered in the Mini-Split Output Size & Efficiency section.
Mini-Split Advantages Over Room Air Conditioners
Mini-split AC units can be more expensive than portable, window, or room AC units. They can be twice as expensive or more than other AC units (see below How Much Does A Mini-Split cost?).
These Are The Benefits You Can Enjoy To Make Up The Difference.
Mini split ACs are less intrusive that a wall or window air conditioner. The AC unit that goes into the room is mounted at the ceiling or top of the wall, rather than filling up a window or going through the wall. This means that you won't have an AC unit sticking through the wall or sitting in a window blocking your view, blocking natural light and posing a security risk. However, this doesn't mean that the mini-split is invisible. The mini-split is mounted on the wall or ceiling of the room, but some units can be hidden in the ceiling.
A mini split AC is quieter in the house. The noise of the mini split AC is not as loud as a central AC's compressor. It can be heard outside, and not through windows or in rooms. The outdoor compressor can be placed up to 50 feet from the indoor unit, so you can place the loudest part away from your ears. The fan is used to circulate the chilled or heated air from the mini-split AC's wall-mounted unit. Modern models are quiet but some models can be noisy.
How Mini-Splits Differ from Central AC
A conventional whole-house central conditioner, like the mini-split has an outdoor compressor and an interior evaporator/air handling unit (often the furnace). It also has a system that circulates and cycles the conditioned air throughout your house via ductwork. These are some of the ways that mini-split ductless air conditioners differ from other models:
They are designed to meet a specific cooling and heating requirement. A ductless mini split AC is small and flexible. It can pinpoint heating or cooling needs. It can heat or cool one room or area and you don't have to heat or cool the whole house.
Because it does not require routing ductwork throughout your house, a ductless mini-split can be much easier and cheaper to install than whole-house AC.
Energy loss caused by leaking or uninsulated conduits can be reduced by removing ductwork. Energy.gov estimates this saves over 30% on heating and cooling costs. ENERGY STAR-certified ductless minisplit heat pump systems use 60% less energy to heat than standard electric resistance-based heating systems.
Mini-split heat pump ductless mini-split heat can reach places that ducted systems cannot. These heat pumps are perfect for any room that cannot be reached by the existing cooling and heating system. They can heat or cool a converted attic, basement, bonus room or garage workshop without having to retrofit ductwork.
Mini-split units are able to add cooling to homes that don't have central forced-air heating and cooling, or homes with radiant heat.
Mini-splits are able to cool and heat air without adding more load to an AC system. They are great for any room that was added after the home's central forced-air system was installed--especially if the room cannot be connected by ductwork to the home's forced-air system.
Mini-split AC units are not all or nothing. It doesn't run at maximum speed when the AC unit is on. The variable compressor adjusts the speed to suit your needs. It saves energy.