Ductless Mini Splits: The Pros and Cons

Ductless mini-splits offer the best of two worlds, blending the low-impact installation of individual units with the power and performance of central air. Initially popularized in Japan, this highly-efficient heat pump technology has swept the U.S. as a viable alternative for conditioning add-on rooms or other enclosed spaces. Ductless mini-splits incorporate a compact interior air handler/coil connected by a conduit to an outdoor unit consisting of standard heat pump components. The conduit requires only a three-inch hole in an exterior wall and the outdoor unit can be situated as far as 50 feet from the indoor component.

Like any HVAC choice, ductless units balance pros with cons:

Advantages

• Central air performance and heat pump efficiency in individual rooms without the expense of installing or extending ductwork.
• Simple installation. An experienced two-person crew can complete most installations in one day.
• No ducts means no energy loss due to leaky ductwork, which is a major source of high heating and cooling costs in ducted systems.
• A single outdoor unit can serve as many as four indoor air handlers.
• The compact size of the indoor air handler allows for flexibility in installation. Units can be wall-mounted, hung from the ceiling or freestanding.
• Ductless mini splits offer greater security than window A/C units, which may be easily removed to allow access by intruders.

Disadvantages

• Installation costs are generally higher than alternatives such as window units.
• Like any heat pump unit, proper sizing to match the room’s heating and cooling load and location of the air handler for optimum airflow are crucial for best results.
• The air handler may not blend well into your overall interior design scheme.
• Proper performance and efficiency depends on installation by technicians specific experienced in ductless technology.

Sobieski Services offers ductless mini splits as one more alternative for efficient, effective home heating and cooling.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).

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