How Do Ductless Mini-Splits Work in Prospect, KY?

When installing an HVAC system in your Prospect, KY home, you have some choices for both heating and cooling. There’s the traditional central air system but also the increasingly popular ductless mini-split. Discover exactly how the ductless mini-split system works and when it may be a good fit for your home.

No Ducts Needed

As the name implies, a ductless mini-split system doesn’t need ductwork to carry conditioned air throughout your home. Rather, you install several small air handlers throughout your home. They are usually mounted to an exterior wall.

These air handlers draw in the air around the room where it’s installed, cool it and then push it back out. However, rather than trying to push the air through ducts into the rest of your home, the handlers only need to push it back out into the room. This allows each air handler to work without having to circulate as much air.

Refrigerant’s Magic Job

Any air conditioning system relies on refrigerant to produce the cool air you enjoy. The refrigerant’s true job is absorbing heat from the air in one place and exhausting it in another.

Air conditioning does this by allowing the refrigerant to expand into a gas at the indoor coil. The system then compresses it back into a liquid at the outside compressor, venting the heat it absorbed. The AC repeats this cycle, expanding and compressing the refrigerant until your home achieves your desired temperature.

One Compressor Does It All

Unlike smaller window and portable air conditioners, the ductless mini-split uses a single compressor to run multiple air handlers. The compressor is the part of the system that uses the most power, so running only one reduces energy consumption.

Rather, one compressor can handle multiple air handling units. The refrigerant lines run from each air handler around your home to the single compressing unit and then back again. The lines typically run from your inside units through an exterior wall, making installation easy.

The Marvelous Reversing Valve

The reversing valve is a key component of a ductless mini-split that your standard central air does not have. This valve reverses the flow of refrigerant, giving this substance the ability to pull double duty by both cooling and heating.

By reversing the refrigerant’s flow, you allow the system to absorb heat from outside and bring it inside. This allows for higher efficiency heating during the cool months, saving your traditional heating for the extreme cold weather.

Making Sure You Size It Correctly

When considering the size of your ductless system, there are two different components you have to evaluate. First is the overall capacity of the compressor, ensuring it can handle enough heat transfer for your entire house.

The second is the capacity for each of the air handlers. Different rooms may have different capacity needs, so you’ll want to make sure to size each appropriately. Of particular concern is the air volume circulated by the unit to ensure it’ll evenly condition the space it serves. An experienced technician will guide you in the proper selection of units.

Multiple Thermostats Offer Higher Efficiency and Control

Increased efficiency is one of the primary benefits of a ductless mini-split system. Part of what offers this efficiency is the independent control of each air handler. Each one only runs when that area needs conditioning, reducing not only energy consumption, but also wear and AC repairs.

Additionally, independent control means you can keep different areas of your home at different temperatures. Consider keeping areas you don’t use frequently at a temperature that doesn’t use as much energy to further reduce consumption.

When Do Ductless Systems Make Sense?

Ductless mini-split systems are easy to install if your home doesn’t already have ducts installed. Other times this system may be ideal include for a home addition, for an attached garage or for a detached garage or building that needs its own system.

Consider a ductless system if you’re adding AC to a home without ducts or to a new construction. Call to schedule your ductless mini-split consultation with one of the experts at Birkhead Co. Heating and Air Conditioning today.

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