Skip to content

Are Ductless Mini-Split Systems More Efficient Than Standard HVAC?

ductless-mini-split

Experts estimate that air conditioning takes up approximately twelve percent of your overall energy bill in a year. This makes your air conditioning unit your single most important appliance when it comes to energy efficiency.

A ductless mini-split system allows you to control the temperature of your home more purposefully and efficiently. You’ll save money and have more control over the temperature of each room.

Keep reading to learn why so many people are choosing ductless mini-split systems over ducted HVAC systems.

Anatomy of a Ductless Mini Split vs Traditional AC

A ducted HVAC system has a single condensing unit outside the home and an evaporator coil and fan unit inside the home. The cool air is moved throughout the home through a series of pipes and ducts.
With a traditional HVAC system, there’s a single thermostat in a central part of the home. That thermostat determines when the unit kicks in or shuts off.

However, the thermostat in the central part of the home does not adjust to the temperatures in the farther parts of the home.
For example, if you have your thermostat in your living room, the HVAC unit will respond to the temperature in the living room. If your bedroom down the hall has a south facing window, it will most likely be a warmer room than the living room, and thus its temperature will always be warmer than the living room.

A ductless mini split also has a unit outside the home. However, where a central air until has one central cooling unit inside the home that blows air throughout the ductwork, the mini split has a unit directly in a room that blows cooled air into just that room.
When you purchase a ductless mini split, you can have single zone units or multiple zone units. When you have multiple zones, you have a unit in different rooms, and your remote control for that unit controls the temperature in that room.

Lower Long Term Cost

At first glance, a ductless mini split system looks like it costs more than other forms of air conditioning. But when you look at the long-term cost of a mini split vs central air units, you’ll see that you will save money on your energy bills down the road.

Happier Home Residents

A ductless mini will ultimate bring more peace to your home.

Not only will you find happier people in your home because of the comfortable temperatures, but you’ll have more money in your bank account on a monthly basis.

As you look into the installation of the best HVAC systems, keep in mind that your energy bills will be less with a ductless mini split.
Any new system will reduce your energy bills. A new ductless mini split compared to a new HVAC ducted system will reduce your bills even more.

Aesthetics

Many will cite the aesthetics of a ductless mini split as a detractor. The unit is visible in every room where it pumps air.

While you can see the unit, you also don’t have to worry about the visual distractions that vents bring to a room. Ductwork houses all kinds of dust, pet hair, and even rodent droppings. When you use a traditional HVAC, you’re pumping air through ducts that will in circulate dust through the air.

Ultimately, you’re creating a room with more contaminants when use a traditional HVAC system.

Efficiency

Ductless mini-split units come with sophisticated and up-to-date technology. Furthermore, mini-splits make the most of energy with their variable-speed compressors. Such compressors will use just the amount of energy they need and no more. Central air unit typically have compressors with one or two speeds that turn off and on frequently

Maintenance and Setup

Setting up a ductless mini split takes little time compared to their HVAC counterpart. The technician will put a small hole in your wall to connect the outdoor compressor to your indoor unit.

When you have a traditional HVAC system installed, you need ductwork in place. If you do not currently have ductwork, your technician will install it. Such an install will take significant time and money.
If your home does not currently have ductwork, a ductless mini split is a viable and desirable alternative.

Ducts require regular cleaning. Furthermore, they will eventually break down and need repairs. Small holes in ducts will compromise the efficiency of a traditional HVAC system. Furthermore, you need annual inspections to find breeches in the system that make the traditional unit less efficient.

Design Flexibility

If you already have a functioning central air system in place, a ductless mini split unit will give you design flexibility when you want to add onto your home. If you have an area of the home like a finished basement, an attic guest room, or a garage without ductwork, the ductless mini split is a great option for cooling.

You can pair your individual mini-split unit with a traditional system to make otherwise unusable spaces usable.

Consider Ductless Mini-Split Systems

If you’re looking for the most efficient way to cool your home, ductless mini-split systems can solve your problem. They allow you to control which zones in the home you cool. They also give you a design option when you have an otherwise unusable room that needs conditioned air.

Furthermore, a ductless mini-split can bring some peace to your home. You reduce the tension caused by thermostat wars, and you have more of your monthly paycheck left due lower energy bills.
Do you need a new air conditioning system or even just an inspection and maintenance call? Contact us today. We have the expertise and reliability needed in the HVAC business.
Give us a call today and let us help cool you down.