Mini-splits explained

Mini-splits, also known as ductless air conditioners, are innovative appliances that provide both cooling and heating capabilities for homes. What sets them apart from traditional HVAC systems is their unique "zone-control" feature, allowing for individual temperature control in different areas of the home. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of how mini-splits work, their advantages and disadvantages, and answers to frequently asked questions about these high-efficiency heating and cooling appliances.

How Mini-Splits Work: Similar to traditional air conditioning systems, mini-splits work by transferring heat from inside the home to the outside air during cooling mode. However, the key difference is that mini-splits can blow cool air from up to six separate air handlers, providing zone-control for customized comfort in different areas of the home. This is in contrast to central-air systems that rely on a single "air handler" to distribute cool air throughout the entire home via ducts. To learn more about the technical process involving expansion, compression, and evaporation, you can refer to our comprehensive guide on how heat pumps work.

Types of Mini-Splits: When installing a mini-split system, homeowners have the option to choose the number of zones they want to create in their home. A single-zone setup with one indoor unit is ideal for cooling or heating a specific room or area that may have trouble reaching with ducts, such as a new home addition, a garage, or a workshop. Alternatively, a multi-zone setup can accommodate up to six indoor units connected to a single outdoor unit, providing a modular heating and cooling solution for the entire home. Thin lines of refrigerant, power, and drainage connect each indoor unit to the outdoor unit, allowing for flexible installation options.

Where to Mount Mini-Split Indoor Units: One of the advantages of mini-splits is their versatility in terms of indoor unit placement. Unlike traditional ducted vents, mini-splits' thinner tubes and cable connections allow for more flexibility. The most common type of indoor unit is wall-mounted, typically installed about 6 inches from the ceiling to distribute cool air downwards as warm air rises. However, there are other options available, including floor-mounted units for spaces where wall-mounting is not feasible, floor-standing units for areas with limited usable space, ceiling cassette units for a more subtle look and better air spread, and ceiling-suspended units for increased airflow but potentially more noise.

Benefits of Mini-Splits: Mini-splits offer several benefits that make them an attractive choice for home cooling and heating:

1. Individual Control of Each Indoor Unit: With mini-splits, you can have precise control over the temperature in each indoor unit, allowing for customized comfort based on personal preferences, room usage patterns, and specific heating or cooling challenges in different areas of the home. This is especially useful for family members who may have different temperature preferences, rooms that are infrequently used, new additions without existing ducts, or areas with unique heating or cooling requirements.

2. Efficiency: Ducts are responsible for 20-30% air loss in a typical home, according to Energy Star. The cooling or heating coming from a mini-split system is generated at each unit, so these losses can be avoided. Another inherent advantage of mini-splits is allowing rooms or zones to be kept at separate temperatures (or turned off entirely). If your bedroom is across the house from where a main thermostat would go, a mini-split system could provide serious savings while you sleep.

3. Two major appliances for the price of one: In addition to cooling your home, mini-splits can also heat your home, which means when you install them, you can avoid paying for a furnace or baseboards. In heating mode, mini-splits use the same kind of no-duct thermal energy transfer to heat your home. And like all heat pumps, they can do it up to four times more efficiently than any other heating system. You can use a heat pump with a ducted system, but a mini-split system (which also uses heat pump technology) delivers this heat the most efficient way possible.

4. Higher-quality air: Ducted HVAC systems typically have one filter installed in a central, indoor location. Cleaning out the ducts typically requires professional service, which can put homeowners off the job. By comparison, each indoor unit in a mini-split setup has its own air filter that can be replaced by the homeowner with nothing more than a stepladder.

5. Dehumidification: Whenever you turn on an air conditioner, you are also turning on a dehumidifier. With a mini-split system, each indoor unit can dehumidify the air in its zone, helping to maintain a comfortable indoor environment with optimal humidity levels.

Conclusion In summary, mini-splits, or ductless air conditioners, offer zone-control and provide efficient cooling and heating solutions for homes. With individual control of each indoor unit, increased efficiency, the ability to heat and cool, higher-quality air, and dehumidification capabilities, mini-splits are a versatile and effective option for residential heating and cooling needs. Consider installing a mini-split system to enjoy the benefits of this high-efficiency heating and cooling appliance in your home.

Note: It's important to conduct thorough research and consult with a professional HVAC technician to determine the best heating and cooling solution for your specific needs and circumstances.