Benefits of Ductless Mini Split Systems

If you're considering an energy-efficient air conditioning upgrade, take a closer look at ductless mini-splits. After doing some research, you may be asking yourself, are mini-splits worth the cost? These systems are popular among homeowners who want greater indoor comfort. Below are some of the benefits of ductless mini split air conditioner systems:

High Versatility

Ductless air conditioners can cool one room or the whole house and do not take up a lot of space in your home. They're ideal for home additions, garage apartments, and sunrooms.

Don't Require Ductwork

Ductless mini-splits can deliver seamless cooling in homes without ductwork making them great additions for home renovations.

Increased Home Value

The value of a home can go up with a new ductless mini-split. They are seen as more valuable than homes with older HVAC systems or no HVAC system at all. With no ductwork needs, they can raise the property value of new construction.

Outstanding Energy Efficiency

Many of today's mini-splits have multi-speed or variable-speed blowers. They power up at high speed to achieve the thermostat setting. Then, they maintain the desired temperature by running the blower at a low speed. Central air conditioners power up at full tilt. They continue cooling at full blast until the thermostat setting is reached, and then they turn off. When the temperature starts to vary, they cycle back on at full power, and the process repeats. That consumes far more energy than a mini-split system that maintains the desired temperature with a blower running for a long time at a low speed.

Heating and Cooling in One Unit

Ductless heat pumps can heat your home as well as cool it. They gather warmth from outdoor air and move it inside to provide heat. Unlike fuel, airborne warmth is free. Today's mini-splits effectively deliver heat in temperatures above 30°F. When backed up by a furnace, you can run the mini-split for high-efficiency heating until the temperature drops, and the furnace kicks in. You’ll pay less for energy when you only use the furnace on the coldest days.

Rapid Installation

Central air conditioners cost less upfront than ductless systems. However, the cost of installing or repairing ductwork can increase central AC installation costs considerably. Ductless systems are easy to install, and the job can be completed in one or two days. Compact indoor units are mounted inconspicuously on the wall. That eliminates the need for a large, bulky unit taking up space in your storage closet.

Fresher Indoor Air

Because ductless mini-splits run mostly at low speeds for a long time, indoor air is constantly being circulated through the filter. That allows significantly more contaminants to be removed from your living space. The long run times also reduce indoor humidity, so your home will feel more comfortable.

Ductwork can harbor pollutants like dander, microbes, dust mites, and other allergens. Air that circulates through the ducts can pick up these particles and spread them around your home. Without ducts, that can't happen. Energy Star says that most U.S. homes are losing up to 30 percent of treated air through leaky ducts. Eliminate ductwork, and those losses become savings.

Custom Comfort

Ductless mini-splits are zoned systems. Each indoor unit controls the temperature in a separate room or zone. Indoor units have their own remote thermostats, so different temperatures can be maintained in different rooms. With a mini-split, you only have to heat or cool the rooms you're using.

Low Maintenance

Ductless AC systems need maintenance only in the spring. If your mini-split heats as well as cools, it should be serviced in the fall as well, but overall no major renovations will be needed.