In these homes or any space without traditional ductwork, the ductless, mini-split-system heat pump is an easy way to bring the comfort and convenience of central heating and cooling without tearing up and completely rebuilding walls, ceilings or floors.

They are also a good choice when you are adding on to an existing structure like a sun room, where extending the distribution ductwork from the rest of the house is not practical.

How Ductless Heat Pumps Work

For the most part, ductless unit, also called a mini split works much like a traditional air-source heat pump.  There are two components: the outdoor compressor complete with a condensing coil and indoor air-handling units. Instead of being installed in a closet or basement, the indoor unit is mounted on a wall.  A conduit links the outdoor and indoor units recycling the refrigerant as needed.

The small conduit slides easily into narrow wall spaces In most cases you will only need about a three-inch hole to make the critical connection between the compressor and the air handling unit. The outdoor unit can actually be placed as far as 50 feet from the indoor unit. So even if you are using mini-splits to condition rooms on the front side of a house you can tuck the condensing units away on the side or back of your home.

Ductless Heat Pumps Feature Attractive Indoor Units

The sleek, modern design of the indoor units allows it to blend into your room.  They are typically about seven inches deep with a high-tech exterior.  The units can be hung high on a wall, suspended from a ceiling or mounted flush into a drop ceiling. With a handheld remote control device, you can control the temperature in your room from the comfort of your couch.

Comfort When and Where You Need It

With a separate unit in every room, you can create custom comfort zones. Some systems have as many as four indoor air-handling units connected to one condensing unit.  Each one with its own thermostat controlling the temperature in each room.  Northern facing rooms with lots of windows get more heat than rooms in the rest of the house.

Have a sick child or an elderly person who might want their room a little warmer, no problem when you have separate units in each room.  And since each room has its own thermostat, you can actually turn off units in unoccupied rooms, saving energy and lowering your utility bills.

No Ductwork Means Less Energy Loss

There is one more energy benefit owners of mini splits enjoy since there is no ductwork – no energy loss in the ducts. In a traditional forced air system, you often see as much as 30% of the energy consumption lost in unconditioned spaces as the ducts run through attics or crawl spaces.  No ducts? No wasted energy.

Compared to traditional duct central air systems, ductless mini split air conditioners have a slight advantage in Seasonal Energy Efficient Ratings (SEER). On average, central air systems have a rating between 21-18, whereas ductless units range between 23-21.