If you’re thinking about installing new HVAC systems, ductless systems are a great option to consider. Ductless HVACs work a little differently from traditional AC. Instead of a central unit that uses ducts to deliver treated air all over the home, ductless systems consist of multiple, small units all over the home. Each unit can deliver cooled or heated air directly to your room without any ductwork. This unique style of HVAC system comes with many advantages. Here are some of the most common reasons homeowners choose ductless HVAC systems.
Simpler and Less Invasive Installation
With a central HVAC system, installing the system is like living inside a construction zone. For several days, workers will be in your home putting together ductwork and cutting holes for ducts to travel through. Homeowners who want a simpler and less stressful solution often opt for a ductless HVAC system. Installing a ductless unit simply consists of mounting a small unit inside the house and connecting it to an outdoor unit. You only need to cut a small hole of around three inches to run the drain line and refrigerant outdoors. This fast, easy project is done very quickly and doesn’t require a great deal of mess, noise, or hassle.
In addition to being more convenient, ductless HVAC installation is also ideal for those who don’t want to greatly alter their home. If you’re concerned about having to rearrange your attic layout or remove portions of the ceiling to fit vents in place, ductless AC is the way to go. It is especially popular among people who own historic homes and are concerned about damaging their property’s character.
More Efficient Use of Energy
Did you know that ducts are one of the biggest sources of energy loss in a home? When air leaves a central HVAC system, it has a lot of chances to change temperature. As it runs through a duct in an uninsulated space, it might lose some of its heat or coolness. Furthermore, ducts can develop leaks that let even more treated air escape. Meanwhile, ductless systems don’t have to transfer air through a duct before it reaches you. Instead, it goes straight from the HVAC system to your room. This allows you to heat and cool your home with less energy.
Research from the United States Department of Energy finds that ductless systems can end up reducing your HVAC energy use by up to 30%. This efficiency allows you to help the environment and avoid wasted energy. Furthermore, it means big savings for you. You might find that your heating and cooling bills are a lot lower.
Savings can be especially impressive if your ductless system includes a heat pump. Compared to traditional furnaces or electrical heaters, heat pumps use far less energy to warm a home. They work by moving heat around instead of burning fuel to generate heat, so they let you pay a lot less to stay comfortable during the winter months.
Fast Responses to Temperature Changes
If one of your main complaints is how long your HVAC takes to warm up or cool down the house, a ductless system can feel like a major upgrade. With a ductless system, your treated air doesn’t have to travel through ducts and then slowly blend into the surrounding air. Instead, the air handler releases air directly into your room, and the blower quickly mixes it into the existing air. Some ductless systems even offer multiple fan speeds, so you can distribute air at your preferred pace.
This means that you end up feeling temperature changes a lot more quickly. If you’re warm, you don’t have to wait an hour for the house to cool down. When your heat’s been off while you’re away at work, a ductless system quickly warms your home back up again. With an extremely responsible ductless system, it’s easy for homeowners to stay comfortable and adjust their home’s temperature as needed.
Improved Air Quality
Eliminating ductwork throughout your home can greatly benefit your air quality. Air ducts are one of the biggest sources of contamination in a traditional HVAC system. Because they’re a closed system that’s rarely cleaned, they often have a lot of dust, mold, and other buildup. The air you breathe travels through these grimy ducts and picks up a lot of contaminants. Therefore, if you want clean air or have respiratory issues like asthma, ductless HVAC can be a smart choice. Since your air does not come into contact with a grimy duct, it is a lot cleaner.
Ductless HVAC systems also have excellent filtration systems that further improve air quality. Unlike a traditional HVAC system that uses one filter for the entire household’s air, ductless ACs have a filter mounted at each air handler. Every room with its own ductless unit also has its own filter. This provides more thorough cleaning, making ductless systems ideal for people who are worried about contaminants like pet dander and pollen.
Ability to Provide Zoned Heating and Cooling
One of the biggest advantages of ductless systems is that they provide zoned heating and cooling. With traditional central HVAC systems, you have to set one temperature for the entire house. Since all the ducts and vents connect to the central air handler, every room ends up being roughly the same temperature. Meanwhile, ductless systems have several air handlers that can all operate independently of each other. Different zones in your house can be different temperatures.
This provides all sorts of exciting opportunities for homeowners. First of all, it can be used to treat hot or cold spots. If you have a sunroom that’s always sweltering, zoned ductless systems let you cool down that room without making the rest of the house feel freezing cold. Another perk is that it lets different family members choose their own temperature settings. One person who runs hot can leave the AC on in their bedroom while another who prefers to be warmer can pick a higher temperature.
Zoned HVAC also provides major energy savings for homeowners. With a ductless system, you don’t have to pay to heat and cool parts of the house you aren’t using. For example, if you have a guest bedroom you rarely enter, you can shut the door and turn the ductless heat down in that room. With a zoned system, you can pick and choose which parts of the home need to have HVAC running all the time.
As you can see, ductless air conditioners and heat pumps come with a lot of excellent perks. If you’d like help picking the perfect HVAC system for your home, 72 Degrees Heating & Air Conditioning is here to help. Our Apex, NC HVAC technicians have years of experience working on all sorts of systems. We work on central HVAC, ductless HVAC, heat pumps, furnaces, and more. You can count on us for a wide variety of installations, repairs, and maintenance visits. To learn more about our services, get in touch with 72 Degrees Heating & Air Conditioning today.
