Are Ductless Mini-Splits Energy-Efficient?
Keeping your home cool and comfortable can be energy-intensive, especially if you depend on a central air system. However, central air conditioners and heat pumps aren’t your only solutions for staying cool. Discover how ductless mini-split systems cool efficiently and find out how these systems offer flexible comfort all year.
If you have a home with several levels, wings, or extensions, you may find that the rooms are not heated or cooled consistently. Instead of wasting money on trying to make every room the same temperature from one thermostat, install a mini-split system in individual rooms. Each area will have its own thermostat, and the occupant can set the temperature as desired. You can save money on energy bills by not having to control the temperature of the entire house and only heating or cooling rooms as needed.
Mini-Splits Don’t Waste Energy
Traditional HVAC systems use a network of ducting to deliver warm or cool air into your house. If there are holes or cracks within the ductwork, some of that conditioned air will leak out into unconditioned areas, such as the attic or crawlspace, rather than going into your living areas. Because there’s no ducting with a mini-split system, you won’t lose any of the temperature-controlled air through leaky ductwork. It all gets delivered right where you want it. With a mini-split system, you won’t be wasting energy through air that’s lost through bad ducting.
High SEER Ratings
Whether you have a central cooling system or a mini-split system, it has a standardized rating that reflects how efficiently it operates. Many ductless systems feature an impressive seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) ratings, indicating that they’ll keep your home cool and comfortable without wasting energy. Some mini-splits have Energy Star certification, which confirms that they meet or exceed national efficiency standards.
Targeted Cooling
Unlike central air systems, which use a single cooling component to generate cool air for each room of your home, mini-splits offer more targeted cooling potential. Most ductless systems consist of an outdoor unit connected to an indoor unit that cools a single room or an area of your home.
This setup makes them ideal for newly finished rooms, hard-to-cool areas like sunrooms, and areas that aren’t connected to your home’s duct system. Since these ductless systems provide cooling power only where you need it, they give you much more control over the amount of energy you use and allow for greater efficiency.
All-Season Comfort
As a homeowner, you’re understandably concerned about cooling your home efficiently. Although ductless air conditioners specialize in cooling your home efficiently, ductless heat pumps have the potential to keep your family comfortable all year round. When winter arrives, you can easily switch a ductless heat pump from cool to heat mode. Since most mini-split heat pumps are designed to heat efficiently even when the outdoor temperature drops below freezing, you can rest assured that a ductless system can keep your family cozy and warm no matter the weather.
