Heating and cooling your home office is tricky if you don’t have the right equipment. In some homes, the internal HVAC system has trouble properly managing the temperature in certain rooms. Installing new ductwork takes time, and window-mounted units can be unwieldy at best. Luckily, you have another option. Consider these reasons to install a mini split system in your office.

Efficient

Traditional HVAC units heat or cool the entire home but have difficulty targeting individual rooms or spaces. This setup increases waste since not all rooms always need to be at the same temperature. A mini split is much more efficient since it works on only a single room at a time. With a mini split, you won’t waste energy heating or cooling rooms that aren’t in use. By tailoring your units to fit your needs, you can keep your office comfortable year-round while reducing your carbon footprint.

Cost-Effective

Because they’re so efficient, mini splits are also cost-effective for homeowners. Limiting the time your HVAC system runs will ensure you save as much money as possible on your electricity bill. While there’s an up-front installation cost, you’ll quickly make your money back. Because they transfer rather than generate heat, mini splits can avoid much of the excess waste produced by traditional HVAC systems. Mini splits are an excellent solution for those who want to reduce energy costs while maintaining maximum comfort levels.

Aesthetic

Another reason to install a mini spit in your home office is that it looks much nicer than a window-mounted unit. Professionals install mini splits outside the home and mount the unit directly on the wall, leaving the windows free from obstruction. Many people prefer mini splits because they let in more sunlight and allow you to open the window if necessary. While a window AC system might feel like a temporary fix, mini splits can be a more long-term solution that you can rely on without taking up too much space.

Comfortable

If you’re having trouble keeping your office space at the correct temperature, it may be due to your existing HVAC system’s limitations. Rather than committing to an invasive installation process for your in-home heating and cooling solution, you can use a mini split to maintain maximum comfort levels. Ductless mini splits allow you to adjust the room’s temperature to suit how you want it. Since it is separate from the rest of the home, you can use it to tailor the climate in your office space and make it as comfortable as possible.

Programmable

Ideally, you should have your mini split system serviced and deep-cleaned annually. While most companies will clean your system during routine maintenance, it doesn’t take the place of deep cleaning that will get rid of mold and microbial contamination. Mini splits are more popular than ever today because they make your home feel great and they don’t use a lot of energy. That makes them a considerable improvement over central air, which often leaves some rooms warmer than others.

The Importance of Cleaning Your Mini-Split

Cleaning your mini-split on a regular basis is important for several reasons. Cleaning a mini-split is essential for keeping it in good condition so that it operates at optimal quality. When a mini-split system isn’t cleaned for a significant amount of time, the potential for premature wear of internal components, mold growth, and the emergence of strange odors greatly increases. Furthermore, the presence of excess dirt, dust, or mold in your mini-split system can decrease the air quality in your home by circulating such pollutants into your living space.

The system will also likely become less efficient if you neglect cleaning your mini-split filters for a significant period of time. As dirt, dust, and other contaminants accumulate, the system may have to work harder in order to operate properly. As a result, you’ll likely start to experience higher energy bills each month.

Cleaning the Indoor Unit of Your Mini-Split

To clean your mini-split’s indoor unit, start by simply wiping down the unit’s exterior surface with a damp cloth and then drying it with a dry cloth. Next, locate and remove the mini-split filter and clean it with a mild detergent and water. To do so, you’ll have to remove the system’s front panel. Once you’ve completed the mini-split filter cleaning, let it air-dry completely, place it back into the system where you found it.

After cleaning mini-split filters, it’s time to move on to the evaporator coil. To access the coil, remove the unit’s cabinet. Then, use a clean, dry cloth or a cloth with some coil cleaner on it to remove any dirt, mold, or other particles that have accumulated on the coils. When you’re done cleaning the coils, put the cabinet and front panel back on the unit.

Cleaning the Outdoor Unit of Your Mini-Split

To clean the outdoor unit of your mini-split, start by removing any debris such as twigs, leaves, or grass that’s in, on, or around the unit. Then, use a garden hose or coil cleaning tool to spray down the exterior of the outdoor unit. Upon doing so, use a cloth to remove any dirt or grime that has accumulated on the unit’s housing. When you’re done cleaning a mini-split, make sure to dry it with a cloth.

What is a Ductless Mini-Split?

A ductless mini-split air conditioner is the perfect alternative to springing for central air or replacing several window A/C units. These energy-efficient mini-split systems consist of an outdoor unit and one or more indoor units. All the units work together to cool your entire home or selected rooms efficiently. Unlike the eyesore of window A/C units, mini-splits are sleek systems that you can affix to any wall you choose. Forget the hassle of your old units and avoid renovation costs associated with adding ducted central air. With a ductless mini-split, you won’t need ducts.

Single and Multi Zone Capabilities

Ductless mini split systems consist of an outdoor compressor or condenser unit connected to an indoor air-handling unit by a series of copper pipes and wires. They are available in single and multi-zone systems, depending on your specific heating and cooling needs. A single-zone system consists of one outdoor unit connected to one indoor unit, while a multi-zone system consists of one outdoor unit connected to multiple indoor units.

A single-zone system allows you to control the temperature in the room or “zone” where the indoor unit is physically located. These are perfect for individual rooms or levels in homes and businesses. Multi-zone systems allow you to control the temperature in each different “zone” without impacting the others. These systems are perfect in homes with multiple rooms or levels and help fix temperature inconsistencies.

Efficiency

Ductless mini splits are also one of the most efficient HVAC options available. Energy produced by central HVAC systems is lost as it travels through the ducts, and this waste is eliminated by ductless mini splits. This heightened efficiency directly leads to significant energy bill savings. Mini splits can also be programmed in cycles where they increase and decrease their energy use in timed intervals to avoid waste.

Versatility

Ductless mini splits are also more versatile than older HVAC systems. They can be used for heating and cooling, making them excellent options regardless of the time of year or local climate. They also double as air filters and purifiers during use. Not only are they heating and cooling your home, they’re also increasing the indoor air quality by removing any dust, debris, moisture, or allergens!

Smart Technology Capabilities

Split system air conditioners provide a convenient way for you to keep your home comfortable when it’s hot out, especially if you mainly need to keep certain areas cool. These systems offer some notable advantages over ducted air conditioners and window air conditioning units. The benefits of a split system air conditioner include all of the following.

Easier Installation

Split system air conditioners do not require ductwork in order to cool the air in your home as ducted air conditioning systems do. Instead, these systems consist of an indoor unit and outdoor unit that can easily be mounted to walls or other areas with copper tubing and cables. Unlike window units, you also don’t need to have windows available for installation with split system air conditioners. Their design makes these air conditioning systems simple and quick to install.

Energy-Efficient

A split system air conditioner uses less energy overall than ducted air conditioning systems. With ducted air, your system experiences energy loss as air passes through your ductwork. This can force your system to run more often to ensure that your home stays cool. Split system air conditioners do not involve the use of ducts, which helps reduce the amount of energy they use. These systems can also be set up to cool off certain areas of your home rather than your entire home, saving you even more on energy usage. Having a more energy-efficient system means your energy bills should be lower.

A Split System Air Conditioner Runs Quietly

Window units can be noisy when they’re running, which can be distracting. The fan and condenser in these systems are inside your home where they produce significant noise while operating. Ducted units are larger and all the noise it generated from one position which can disrupt neighbours. Split system air conditioners run much more quietly than other types of air conditioning systems. The noisier components are in the small outdoor unit where you won’t hear them as much. This provides your home with more peace and quiet while also keeping it cool and comfortable.

Cost-Efficient

Having a split system air conditioner installed in your home provides a more cost-efficient way to maintain a cooler indoor temperature. These systems typically cost less to buy, and installation costs are lower since they are easier to install. They also use less energy and require little maintenance, so you can also expect to save money on these expenses. Investing in these systems allows you to cool your home on a regular basis while keeping costs down.

Easy Maintenance

Summer is just around the corner. While most people bust out the sunscreen and beach outfits, some people prefer to ride out the heat wave in the comfort of their own home. While it’s great to bask in the heat while at the beach getting a tan, it is a different story when you’re trying to sleep comfortably at night or even squeeze in a snooze for an afternoon nap.

Nothing else makes your house an oasis in this heat than a great air conditioning system. However, for most people, choosing the right cooling system to invest in can be a daunting task. Window-type or Split-type? How about centralized air? Not only is there the question of price, that is, how much is needed to buy the unit and to install it, but there is also the question of will it fit my home and lifestyle?

Mini-split vs Centralized Air

Two of the most common air-conditioning systems are the split type and centralized air systems. The main advantage for both types is that they can fit your home’s style and furnishing and not be an eye sore. Centralized air systems in particular use air ducts that run inside the walls of the house, funneling air through air vents to cool your entire house, while the cooling unit itself sits outside the house itself. Split types also have the cooling unit outside the home, with the unit itself serving as the “vents”. The mini-split type, a more compact version of the split type, can easily be hidden from view using design elements like drop ceilings and paneling.

Existing home design. Centralized air requires more investment as it needs air ducts as pathways for the cool air to flow. If your home is not previously equipped with air ducts and vents, it would take some investment to install these. If you are still in the process of building your house, making provisions for the ducts and vents is a must. Mini-splits, on the other hand, can work with any style, as long as there is a wall or ceiling it can be mounted on, and more units can be added on at a later time, without the need to modify the house structure.

Need to customize temperature per room. If people in your home have different tolerance for cooler temperatures, the split type will work better for you, since every room with its own unit can be customized. Better control of the temperature on a per room basis can result in more efficiency and power savings versus a centralized one.

Ductless Mini Splits

Unlike central air conditioners, ductless mini splits do not require ductwork. These systems have an outdoor condenser and one or more compact wall- or ceiling-mounted blower units (“mini-splits”), each with its own set of controls to provide cooling exactly where it’s needed.

In our area, where heating is also a concern, you can get more than just cooling from your whole house heat pump or mini split system. Air-source heat pumps have both seasonal heating and cooling ratings.

Ductless mini-splits have gained widespread popularity for their practical cooling and heating applications for home additions, retrofits and hard to reach areas in the home. To drive performance, you need to choose the best places to install the indoor and outdoor parts of your ductless mini-split.

If you’re working with a competent professional who follows HVAC industry best practices for system sizing and selection, you’re off to a great start! Installing the ductless mini-split A/C in the best location is the crucial next step. Use these tips to make sure the job is well done so you can maximize home cooling and energy efficiency.

Ductless Systems

Three components contain all the parts of a ductless system. Like bulkier central air conditioning systems, the ductless system’s outdoor cabinet houses the compressor, condenser, fan and electrical parts. The indoor air handler consists of a sleek cabinet or cassette that houses the evaporator, condensate drain, fan, air filter and electrical sensors.

The third component of a ductless system is a thin conduit housing refrigerant lines, power and the condensate drain. Depending on the selected unit, the conduit may extend 50 feet or more, which offers greater flexibility when choosing the best places to install the indoor and outdoor parts of your ductless mini-split. Keep in mind that the closer the indoor and outdoor parts, the better energy efficiency you’ll receive.

Indoor Mini Split Unit(s)

You can install your indoor mini split units, or air handlers, anywhere you need targeted comfort — a hard-to-condition bedroom, a new addition that doesn’t have ductwork, your living room and kitchen, etc. Depending on your home comfort needs, you might install just one indoor unit, or you might end up installing several units.

Wherever you choose to install your mini split(s), keep in mind that every mini split installation location does need to be on an exterior wall — that is, a wall that runs along the exterior of your home. There should also be at least two inches of accessible space above each indoor unit.

Outdoor Condenser

Inverter technology is the unsung hero of the HVAC world. Initially used primarily in high-end and ductless HVAC equipment, it is now being incorporated into a wider range of systems. Air-source heat pumps (ASHPs), in particular, have benefited from the use of inverter-driven compressors, which adjust the heating or cooling output of the equipment to match the exact demand of the occupied space. In addition, inverters allow heat pumps to operate at lower speeds and consume less energy, resulting in significant energy savings and lower carbon emissions.

The development of cold climate heat pumps was also made possible with the integration of inverter technology, allowing the compressor to adjust its speed and operate efficiently in subfreezing outdoor temperatures. One could easily argue that inverter technology has enabled heat pumps to become one of the most sustainable and energy-efficient heating and cooling solutions currently available.

Inverter technology is likely to become even more popular, as it contributes to reducing the carbon footprint by reducing the energy demands of the HVAC system. Inverters provide for a controlled variation of output based on demand and load. Because load calculations require a system designer to consider maximum extremes, equipment is often oversized for the majority of operational demand. By aligning output with demand, energy usage can be reduced.

Because inverter systems operate only at the speeds necessary to maintain the desired temperature, they often operate at a slower speed, which consumes less energy and increases efficiency, especially at part-load conditions. This ultimately provides a significant impact in reducing carbon emissions during operation.

What is an Inverter Aircon?

The inverter system is a technology created to get rid of temperature oscillations. Years back, electricity waste was a serious problem. Manufacturers realised there was a need to fix it and turned to the inverter system technology. It is an improved version of the advancements during that time. Inverters use adjustable speed, which helps control the compressor of the equipment. This way, it can provide the best performance to the user.

What is a Non-Inverter Aircon?

The standard air conditioning units are often categorised as non-inverters. The systems possess a lower energy-efficient rating. It may not be easy to distinguish one from the other; however, most reputable brands identify a product as an inverter system. Non-inverters were more affordable and can still be found in many homes because this was all that was available 20 years ago.

A non-inverter aircon, in its simplest form, is a system with a fixed-speed compressor motor. It works on an “all or nothing” principle, unlike an inverter aircon. This means the compressor will turn itself off and on instead of keeping the same pace all the time.

Which is the Better Choice?

Compressor Comparison: Inverter air conditioners change the rotation speed of their compressors. The benefit of this capability is that it provides a better and more accurate way of maintaining the temperature. Therefore, having an inverter air conditioner is like owning an intelligent unit. Cooling stays in the room efficiently without needing to keep the AC running at full power.

Efficiency: Inverter AC units have controlled compressor speed. At the same time, their speed can change when required. They are the better choice when you want a unit that can help you save your electricity consumption.

As the temperatures climb this summer, we’ll be looking for any and all ways to keep cool and comfortable. But is air conditioning safe for your baby? I know some moms are wondering if the cold air could cause a chill or even asthma later in life…

Everything that I’ve heard suggests that it is generally safe to have your baby sleep in an air conditioned room — especially if the alternative is a hot, humid, and stuffy room. That said, there are a few precautions you might want to take when using the air conditioner in your baby’s room:

The ideal temperature: 25°C — 27°C

When children sleep, their temperatures decrease so they easily get sore throat and fever that leads to diarrhea. To keep children safe, parents should only let the temperature of the house be around 25°C — 27°C. It’ll be good for children if the difference between the house’ and the outside’s temperatures is as much as 7 degrees Celsius. For example, if the outside temperature is 35°C., the one in air-conditioned room should be 28°C. And, it won’t cause much trouble if the children keep running in and out of the air-conditioned room.

Avoid placing your baby near vents

Whether you have central air or window units, air conditioners tend to have concentrated flows of cold air coming from the vents — this might be too strong for your baby. Babies can take advantage of the cool room without being directly in the path of blowing air.

Hygiene

This is one of the thing that most parents are tend to forget. Parents take notice of cleaning the air-conditioner recurrently to avoid mold and pathogens. We suggest doing servicing for the air-conditioner 3–4 times a year depends on your usage. When you don’t use air-conditioners, you should let the door open so that the room will be airy.

Prevent sudden changes

Staying in an air-conditioned room all day is a complete “shouldn’t”. Children who stay in air-conditioned room for 4 successive hours often have dry skin and sore throat. You should make them go out of the air-conditioned room each 2–3 hours.

When the weather is hot and your children have just got home, you shouldn’t let them go to the air-conditioned room right away. Before going to the air-conditioned room, you should make your children wait for a while and rub their sweat. And before the children leave the room, you should open the door and let them get used to the outside temperature.

Dress babies lightly but covered.

This way the cold air isn’t directly touching their skin while they sleep. Keep babies’ skin moisturized. Air conditioning can dry out the air, so make sure your baby’s skin isn’t getting too dry. Use a lightweight moisturizer to keep your baby’s skin soft and hydrated. Another idea for keeping your baby’s room from overheating during the summer is to use a fan (although it should be noted that fans move air around, they don’t cool the air).