Heat pump technology eliminated the need for a separate furnace for heating in a central HVAC system. Ductless mini splits take that option to the next level by eliminating the ductwork required by a central system. It's often simply not feasible to install new ductwork in a home or extend existing ducts simply to accommodate a single room or zone. The mini split consists of a compact heat pump air handler mounted in a single room and connected to an outdoor condensing unit by a conduit that conveys refrigerant between the components.
Here some of the pros of adding a ductless mini split to your home:
Easy install
Interior installation of a ductless system requires only space for the small air handler and a three-inch hole in an exterior wall to route the refrigerant/power conduit to the outdoor compressor unit. Because of this low-impact installation, ductless mini splits generally are allowed great latitude in local building codes. In most residential applications, installation of a ductless mini split for a single room or zone can be performed by a two-person crew in one day, reducing the disruption to daily life.
Quiet
With the compressor located outdoors and only a low-speed blower operating in the room, a ductless unit is quieter and less intrusive than a window unit.
Expandability
A single outdoor compressor/coil unit can serve up to four interior heat pump air handlers. Homeowners can later expand on a single-room mini split by adding additional air handlers and running more conduit without the need to purchase additional outdoor units.
Efficiency
Because a ductless unit cools or heats only one room or zone and is controlled by a single thermostat inside the room, the efficiency and convenience for that room is high. Central ducted units serve all rooms in a residence, whether they're occupied or not, and are often controlled by multiple thermostats. This degrades overall system efficiency.
Joe Behr Plumbing & Heating has been serving the home comfort needs of Mid-Ohio homeowners since 1965. Call us for more information on adding the power and simplicity of ductless mini splits to your residence.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Mid-Ohio area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ductless mini splits and other HVAC topics, visit our website.
