Expanding your central HVAC system for a new home addition can be a challenge. Not only is there the sizing of your central unit to consider, but the ductwork in your home may have to be redesigned so that it’s properly balanced. And if the new addition isn’t always in use — a guest suite, for example — then you may end up with higher energy costs disproportionately higher than the amount of value you get. A ductless system offers another option.
A ductless mini-split is a heating and cooling system that circulates air through a single room or area. Because they circulate air directly from the unit into the space which needs conditioning, they don’t suffer any energy loss from leaky or poorly insulated ducts — which is significant, as energy losses through ductwork can account for as much as 30 percent of your total heating and cooling cost.
A mini-split consists of an indoor unit, typically mounted on a wall (but can also be floor- or ceiling-mounted), connected to an outdoor unit which may serve more than one indoor unit. Typically, the connection will need only about a three-inch hole in your wall for the lines to pass through. A single ductless unit has control over one portion of your home, where it operates independently of a central system or other ductless units in your home.
Ductless systems are heat pumps, meaning that they move heat energy from place to place. (Traditional air conditioners are also heat pumps, though they only move heat in one direction: from inside your home to outside of it.) This means that they can achieve a heating energy efficiency three to four times higher than a traditional gas or oil furnace.
If you’re considering a ductless system for an addition in your Dayton-area home, contact Ace Hardware Home Services today to learn more!
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “DoublePHOTO studio/Shutterstock”
