How Efficient Are Ductless Mini Splits?
Central furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps are common and popular heating and cooling system choices for homes in the Waco, TX area and throughout the country. Another type of HVAC system that is gaining traction is the ductless mini split, and installing one may be a smart choice for your household.
For those who aren’t familiar with this HVAC technology, the main question they have is, “how efficient are mini splits?” Evergreen Heating and Cooling shares more information about this type of HVAC system as well as how efficiently it performs in the home.
What Are Ductless Mini Split Systems?
A ductless mini split system is a type of HVAC system that can be configured for heating and cooling as a whole home solution or for use in targeted areas. Mini splits are a type of split system that utilizes both indoor and outdoor equipment. An outdoor heat pump or air conditioner connects to one or more indoor air handlers via a refrigerant line set. Instead of a centrally located air handler and ductwork distribution system throughout the house, mini splits use air handlers that are installed directly in the areas where they provide heating and cooling. One outdoor unit can typically support one to four indoor units.
To cool homes, each air handler extracts heat energy using its coil. Refrigerant transfers that energy to the outdoor unit where it is released into the atmosphere. For heating, the outdoor heat pump absorbs heat from the outdoor air and transfers it to the air handler, which uses its coil to add heat energy to indoor air. If the system is configured with an outdoor air handler, electric resistance heat strips can be installed to generate heat indoors. These heat strips can also be installed within ductless heat pump systems as a backup heat source.
How Efficient Are Mini Splits?
There are many elements of the system’s design that allow these heating and cooling units to operate at high energy-efficiency levels, including:
- Ductless operation. Duct leaks in the average American home cause 20 to 30 percent heating and cooling energy loss. By eliminating the duct distribution system and blowing conditioned air directly from the air handler into the living space, mini splits reduce energy waste by up to 30 percent on average when compared to conventional forced-air HVAC systems like central furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps.
- Zoned heating and cooling. Zoned heating and cooling are a natural byproduct of the mini split’s design, which offers enhanced energy efficiency compared to central HVAC systems. Each indoor air handler is controlled independent from the rest, allowing the temperature of each space to be adjusted without affecting the rest of the home. Energy is only used to heat and cool when and where needed, unlike with a conventional system where the entire home receives additional heat or cooling even though it was only needed in one area.
Compared to conventional central furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps with ducts, mini splits are very efficient. Additionally, mini split HVAC equipment is available with high SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) levels to provide excellent cooling energy efficiency. How efficient are mini splits compared to other HVAC systems? Mini split heat pump system use can cut heating costs by 50 percent compared to electric resistance heating systems, and mini split cooling systems reduce cooling costs by about 30 percent compared to room air conditioners.
Contact Evergreen for Mini Split Installation in Waco, TX
Do you have questions regarding whether a mini split ductless system is right for your home? Evergreen Heating and Cooling is available to answer your questions and give you a quote for mini split installation. Contact us today to request a consultation for heating and air conditioning services.