If you’re building a new house, it’s well worth considering a ductless climate control system instead of central air conditioning and heating. Opting for a ductless mini-split system can also be an excellent option if your home has a central HVAC system that needs to be replaced. The primary reason is that ductless climate control typically works more efficiently and uses less energy overall. A ductless mini-split system also provides zoned cooling and heating that gives you much greater control over the temperature in every part of your house.
How Ductless Climate Control Works
Before we look at the benefits of ductless climate control and compare it to central HVAC, it’s first important to go over how it works. The outdoor part of a ductless mini-split is either a standard AC condenser or a heat pump, both of which function exactly like a central AC or heat pump. The difference is that central HVAC systems have one air handler where the air coming into the system is cooled or heated plus a central blower that then pumps the conditioned air through the home’s ductwork and into each room. With a ductless system, multiple individual air handlers are located in various rooms and parts of the house. That means each air handler just cools or heats the space it’s in.
This is a major advantage, since it enables you to independently control the climate in different parts of the house, instead of only being able to set one temperature for the entire dwelling like you do with central HVAC. It also ensures that every part of the house will stay at whatever temperature you want, which eliminates any issues with hot and cold spots like you often have with central HVAC.
Comparing the Energy Efficiency of the 2 Types
Although the best central air conditioners and heat pumps are extremely energy-efficient, a ductless mini-split is usually more so. This is especially true if you’re looking at a top-of-the-line ductless system, which will be far more efficient than the best central unit money can buy. The main reason that ductless climate control is more efficient is that it can heat and cool a space more quickly and effectively. Central HVAC works more slowly since the air it produces always loses heat in the winter and gains heat in the summer as it travels through the house’s ductwork.
Another thing to consider is that not every room in a house will heat up or cool off at the same rate, which is partly why you often end up with hot and cold spots if you have central HVAC. This isn’t an issue with a ductless system since each air handler will always run just enough to keep the surrounding space at your desired temperature. That means there will be many times when only some of the air handlers are currently running. You can also lower the overall energy usage by turning the temperature up or down in any unoccupied spaces to limit how much the air handlers in those spaces run.
Comparing Installation Costs
When it comes to purchase and installation costs for ductless and central HVAC, it’s a bit more difficult to compare the two side by side. One reason is that if you have a larger house, you’d generally need more than one ductless system to heat and cool every part of your home. That said, a larger house in Arizona would typically also need at least two central air conditioners or heat pumps to ensure it stays cool in our extremely hot summers.
In most cases, a ductless mini-split system will almost always cost more to purchase and install than a central HVAC system. Part of the reason for this is that you’re paying for multiple air handlers instead of just the single blower and evaporator coil you would have with a central HVAC system. Installing a ductless system can also take more work since the technicians need to run two refrigerant lines from the outdoor unit to each air handler instead of just running a single line set.
However, running the refrigerant lines to each ductless air handler can sometimes be easier since the lines typically run along the exterior of the house. If you’re installing a new central AC or heat pump in an existing house, and you need to run new refrigerant lines, the technicians may need to cut out part of your ceilings. The exception is if your air handler is in the attic since this makes the process of installing the refrigerant lines far easier.
A ductless system will usually be quite a bit less expensive than central HVAC and take much less time to install if you’re building a new house. If you opt for central HVAC, you have to figure in the cost and time it takes to build and install all of the air ducts. Installing the ductwork alone will almost always add at least a few thousand dollars to the total cost of your HVAC and usually take a few days. In this case, you’ll almost always save money by opting for ductless climate control.
A ductless mini-split is going to be the cheaper option if you’re putting an addition onto your house. If you wanted to connect the addition to your existing central HVAC, you’d still have to pay more to add ductwork. Unless the addition is fairly small, you’d also usually need to upgrade your existing furnace and air conditioner or heat pump to something larger. If not, your HVAC may no longer be able to effectively keep your home comfortable since you’re increasing the square footage and thus the volume of air it needs to cool and heat. For these reasons, you’d almost always be better off installing a single-zone ductless system that just cools and heats the new addition.
Dependable HVAC and Plumbing Services
If you’re searching for an experienced residential HVAC or plumbing company in Chandler and other parts of the Phoenix, AZ Metro area, Emergency Air Heating Cooling & Plumbing is the one you can trust. Our certified technicians are experts in cooling and heating installation and are ready to help if you need to install a new central AC, heat pump or furnace or are considering a ductless mini-split system for your home.
We offer a range of central and ductless systems from trusted brands like Carrier and Bryant and will work with you to help you choose the best option for your home. We also offer financing for new HVAC systems on approved credit, like heat pumps. No matter what type of HVAC or plumbing work you need done, you can count on us to provide fast and reliable service. We always provide honest, transparent pricing and back up all of our work with a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee.
To schedule a consultation and learn more about the benefits ductless climate control can bring to your home, contact us at Emergency Air Heating Cooling & Plumbing today!
