You may have heard that one of the advantages of ductless mini-splits over other HVAC systems is that they are energy-efficient. But what exactly makes them so much more efficient than traditional central heating and cooling? The lack of ducts, temperature zoning, and inverter technology all contribute to the higher efficiency of ductless mini-splits.
No Air Loss in Ducts
With a traditional heating and cooling system, air from the unit has to travel through ducts to reach you. Along the way, you may lose a significant amount of that air. It can be as high as 30% to 40% depending on insulation and the condition of your ductwork, among other factors.
There’s a lot you can do to make ductwork more efficient, starting with proper installation. Regular professional inspection helps ensure that there are no leaks or other issues causing air loss. However, even taking this into account, a certain amount of air will be lost as it travels to registers throughout your home. This isn’t an issue with ductless mini-splits since the air blows directly from the unit.
Greater Control with Zoned Heating and Cooling
With traditional central heat and AC, you set the thermostat temperature for the entire home. Ductless mini-splits allow you to set different temperatures throughout your home. This is possible because with most systems, there is a single outdoor unit that powers multiple indoor units.
You can even turn off the other units and heat and cool only one area at a time if you prefer. Or, if one room is always too hot or too cold, you don’t have to adjust the temperature for the entire home to keep it comfortable.
Energy Savings with Inverter Technology
Traditional HVAC systems cycle on and off to regulate temperature. When they’re on, they’re running at full power. Switching on and off creates power spikes that use a lot of electricity.
In contrast, a ductless mini-split has a compressor that changes its speed depending on the amount of heating or cooling that you need. This uses less energy while still keeping you comfortable.
By the Numbers
Heating systems use HSPF2 ratings to determine efficiency while cooling systems use SEER2 ratings. You can check these to see the objective numbers on superior efficiency from ductless mini-splits. For both types, higher numbers indicate higher efficiency. While ratings vary among models, the upper end for ductless mini-splits is higher than for conventional models.
Increasingly, manufacturers are creating heating and cooling systems that are more efficient than models from even a few years ago. However, the design and operation of ductless mini-splits means that in most cases, these come out ahead of traditional HVAC when it comes to energy savings. If you live in Phoenix, AZ or a surrounding area and need ductless mini split services, make your first call to Ace Home Services.