Are Ductless Mini-Splits a Good Idea?
Ductless heating & cooling is great for many South Jersey homes.
Do you know when your home was built? Many families in Bridgeton, Millville, Glassboro and nearby communities live in houses that are over 100 years old. Before the 1960s, central air conditioning wasn’t as common as it is today. If your home uses a boiler for heating, there’s a decent chance that your home has no ductwork. Where does that leave you regarding A/C in the summer?
Some homeowners believe their only option is a window A/C unit, but this isn’t the case. Window units are inefficient, loud and cumbersome. If you leave them in during the winter, you’re almost certainly losing heat.
Ductless mini-split systems offer a long-term, energy-efficient alternative for homes without ductwork. Woodruff Energy has been installing heat pumps and ductless mini-splits for years. We can help you decide if one is suitable for your household.
How ductless mini-splits and heat pumps work.
Ductless heating and cooling products are composed of two parts: an outdoor compressor and an indoor air handler. They connect via thin pipes in your wall, and multiple air handlers can connect to one compressor.
These systems transfer heat between the outdoors and your home. In the summer, the air handler draws in warm air from your home and expels the heat outside. Then, it delivers cooled air back to your rooms. In cooler months, this process is reversed, with the compressor drawing heat from the outside air and bringing it inside. (Believe it or not, there is heat in cold outdoor air.)
Ductless mini-splits and efficiency.
One of the reasons that people love ductless cooling systems is that they offer efficient climate control throughout the year.
To begin, these systems are typically zoned, with each air handler functioning independently. Unlike with many central A/C systems, you don’t need to keep the whole home at the same temperature. You can scale back cooling in rooms you aren’t in, saving energy.
These systems also provide efficient heating in late fall and early winter, though many customers still use their boilers when it’s below freezing outside.
Ductless system as easy to install.
Adding ductwork to a house is an involved, often disruptive process that can take multiple days to complete. Installing a ductless system can often be done in a single day. It only requires drilling, and indoor components can be placed in discreet spaces where they’re out of sight.
How affordable are ductless mini-splits?
While ductless mini-split equipment is typically pricier than central A/C equipment, you will still forgo the cost of adding ducts to your home. Plus, ductless systems have efficiencies that effectively defray the additional equipment expense:
- Zoned cooling lowers your electric usage.
- There are no duct losses with mini-splits. The Department of Energy has found that over 30 percent of a home’s A/C-related energy consumption is attributable to leaky ducts.
- Mini-splits have a longer service life than central A/C systems — often lasting more than 20 years!
Woodruff Energy and Daikin offer top-notch ductless systems.
We are offering fantastic deals on Daikin heat pump systems. These state-of-the-art systems are the high-water mark in home heat pump performance. They are compact, super-efficient and integrated with your home’s smart devices.
Get in touch with us today to explore your ductless heating and cooling options.
