How Do Ductless AC Units Work?

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Ductless air conditioners or mini-split air conditioning units are a popular alternative to traditional central air conditioners. Mini-splits offer excellent temperature control in multiple zones within a house, but how do ductless AC units work?

As a trusted air conditioning service in Ocala, FL, Fast Air Repair and our team of qualified technicians have years of experience installing, replacing, and servicing ductless cooling systems. Consult our guide below if you're considering installing a convenient ductless cooling system but don't know how it will help your home stay comfortable throughout the summer.

Ductless Air Conditioners Vs. Central Air Conditioning

Before learning how ductless air conditioning systems work, it helps to understand what sets them apart from central cooling units. With a central cooling system, you'll have a large indoor unit or air handler inside a utility closet or attic and a condenser unit outdoors. A network of air ducts draws air to and from the HVAC system before dispersing the chilled air through vents around the house. 

The ductwork may be behind walls and ceilings, so you typically wouldn't see them. Some older properties lack the space necessary to build an intricate network of air ducts and vents for central air conditioning, resulting in expensive, property-altering ductwork installation. 

On the other hand, ductless mini-splits don't require air ducts to deliver chilled air to a house. Instead of having one indoor unit for the entire house, you'll have separate indoor units in each room or zone with a fan and evaporator coil. Each indoor unit connects to a single outdoor condenser unit. 

As warm air from inside your house flows over the evaporator coils, the refrigerant inside the component will absorb the warmth from the air. As a result, cool air will circulate through each zone while the outdoor unit expels the warmth from the indoor air.

Can a Mini-Split System Cool an Entire House?

After learning the answer to "How do ductless AC units work?" you're likely wondering if it's a reasonable system to consider for cooling your entire house. The short answer is yes.

Though these units are considerably smaller than central air conditioning units, they are efficient at cooling individual rooms quickly. Still, you can incorporate mini-splits into your home for total house cooling through careful planning and proper system sizing. 

Multi-Zone Mini-Splits

Ductless air conditioners provide https://rpsc.energy.gov/tech-solutions/hvac https://rpsc.energy.gov/tech-solutions/hvac

https://rpsc.energy.gov/tech-solutions/hvac

energy-efficient cooling for the entire house through multi-zone layouts. A multi-zone heating and cooling system divides your home into separate zones with their own ductless units. With this method, each zone can have different temperatures, giving the household the ultimate climate control and comfort. 

Even though you can have individual indoor units with a ductless HVAC system, they'll all connect to one condenser. As such, you'll enjoy excellent temperature control without additional energy expenses because your home will still operate under one cooling system, not multiple ones. With a single main unit, you can choose between floor-mounted, ceiling registers, or ceiling-recessed indoor units for your home. 

Sizing Mini-Splits

As with any HVAC system, getting the right size for your home is essential for ensuring your comfort and the unit's energy efficiency. If you get a system that's too small, it won't cool your zones without consuming excess energy. An oversized unit will cool your rooms quickly, but it will turn off and on often, resulting in unnecessary energy consumption. 

Before installing or replacing a ductless air conditioning system you must know the square footage of each zone to ensure you get a system with the right cooling capacity or British Thermal Units for that space. The general guidelines are:

• 250 square feet: 6,000 BTUs
• 250-300 square feet: 7,000 BTUs
• 300-350 square feet: 8,000 BTUs

Square footage alone isn't the only factor you need to know to size a ductless air conditioning system properly. You also must account for your home's insulation, air leakage, and local climate, because these factors can affect the system's efficacy. 

Advantages of Installing a Ductless Air Conditioning Unit

The main difference between mini-splits and central air conditioners is ductwork. Still, you and your family can enjoy many benefits with a ductless air conditioning unit including the following:

• Improved Indoor Air Quality: Ductwork can accumulate dust, dander, and other allergens and debris that can circulate throughout your home. However, mini-splits don't require ducts, reducing the contaminants inside your home's air. 
• Easy Installation: Because these units are lighter than central units and don't require cause structural changes to a home beyond three-inch-wide holes for refrigerant lines, installation is substantially easier.
• Energy-Efficiency: Without air leakage from old or cracked ducts, your HVAC system will be more efficient and consume less energy. 
• Heating Abilities: If you choose a ductless system with a heat pump operation, you can enjoy ductless heating and cooling.

Disadvantages of Installing a Ductless Air Conditioning Unit

Unfortunately, ductless air conditioning systems aren't ideal for every situation despite their many benefits. For example, the upfront cost to install a ductless cooling system can be high if you only want single-room air conditioning. The upfront expense can also be high if you intend to replace a central air conditioning unit with a mini-split in comparison to the cost of replacing a ducted system with something similar. 

Another potential downside of ductless air conditioning units is aesthetics. Though you can choose from several styles, the indoor units may not fit with your interior design choices. 

Embrace Modern HVAC Technology with the Help of Fast Air Repair

Now that you know the answer to "How do ductless AC units work?" turn to our professionals at Fast Air Repair in Ocala, Florida when you're ready to replace your inefficient air conditioning system with a newer, more efficient system. As a top heating and cooling company with hundreds of five-star reviews, our qualified technicians can expertly install, repair, and replace mini-split systems and heat pumps. 

We prioritize customer satisfaction, so we offer same-day services, emergency repairs, and factory-authorized parts for repairs. Call 352-290-7968 to schedule an appointment with Fast Air Repair today.