A Ductless mini-split heat pump is a type of heating and cooling system. This type of system conditions the air in your home without the need for ducts. It offers a solution for homes that have limited spaces where ductwork can’t be installed. This includes spaces like additions, basements and areas such as porches that have been upgraded for year-round use. And it is also applicable as a whole house system.
A ductless heat pump is called a mini-split because it is made up of two parts, one for handling indoor air and the other that acts as the outdoor compressor. Here’s everything you need to know about a Ductless Heating and Cooling System.
What are the Advantages of a Ductless Heat Pump?
Ductless mini-split systems are popular for renovations and home additions, or for any home or business owner wanting the best in efficient heating and cooling. There are many advantages to choosing a ductless mini-split including:
- They are smaller
- Easier to install
- Less tear down with just a 3-inch hole in the wall required for the conduit
- Flexibility and convenience
- Separate thermostat controls with remote control available
- Both heats and cools
- Attractive design
- Saves energy and reduces energy bills
- No ductwork required
- Safer than window units that can fall out or also be used by intruders to break in
- Longer lifespan
- Can be used to heat or cool separate areas of the home that tend to be too hot or too cold
What is a Ductless Heating and Cooling System and How Does It Work?
As mentioned, there are two parts to the mini-split, one (or more) for indoors and one for out. The indoor unit can be installed in the ceiling or mounted high on a wall. This part of the system is used to send the conditioned air directly into the living space. It is connected directly to an outdoor compressor without the need for ducts and instead uses a refrigerant line as well as the power cable, suction tubing, and a condensate drain line.
In many homes, there will be more than one indoor air-handling unit connected to the outdoor unit. Each unit can be controlled independently even though they share the same outdoor unit.
How Do the Zones Work with Mini-Split Units?
Before your Ductless Mini-split installation is complete, we will work with you to create the most energy-efficient zoning plan for your home. Because you can have multiple indoor air-handling units, you choose the zones based on the rooms you wish to heat or cool. In most systems, there is an average of four zones served by the outdoor unit.
Zones required are based on the size of your home, as well as special requirements such as additions or rooms that are not getting enough heat or cold air. Because of this, each mini-split system is completely customized to suit your needs. Many homeowners request specialty spaces be zoned such as a garage or workshop while smaller homes can use a unit per floor.
Energy Efficiency
With a mini-split unit, you also have a more energy-efficient system because there is no risk of conditioned air leaking through the duct system. In fact, you can lose as much as 30% of the conditioned air through your ducts. This often means you tend to crank up the heat or air conditioning to make up for the lost conditioned air that adds to your energy bill. Your zones also help you save energy because you only operate the zones in use, unlike a traditional system that has to be used to heat or cool the entire home.
How Does the Heat Pump Work?
Heat pumps are designed to make use of the existing heat energy found in the air using refrigerant. While a traditional A/C unit removes heat from your indoor space and transfers heat outdoors, a heat pump reverses this process. By reversing the process, it can remove heat from the outdoor environment and reuse it when it transfers the heat inside.
If you are asking yourself “How much does a Ductless Heat pump cost?” or wish to find out more about how a mini-split can benefit your home, contact our team today.
We proudly install Ductless Heating and Cooling Systems for homeowners like you in Pierce County including Tacoma, Puyallup, Gig Harbor, Fox Island, University Place, Bonney Lake, Washington and more.