Ductless Split Systems and Temperature Control

Do you struggle to keep your home at a temperature everyone can agree on? Stop battling over the thermostat once and for all with a ductless split system. This powerful innovation allows you to manage your home’s heating and cooling in ways you never thought possible. Learn more about the customized, room-to-room temperature control of a ductless split system, along with the other benefits this solution provides.

How Do Ductless Split Systems Differ From Central HVAC?

Most homeowners are more familiar with central heating and cooling than they are with ductless units. Split-system air conditioners and heat pumps both have an indoor air handler and an outdoor condensing unit. The equipment is powered by electricity and uses refrigerant to extract heat from the indoor air. Heat pumps have the option to run in reverse, providing home heating in the winter. Regardless of the season, heated and cooled air is delivered through a series of air ducts hidden behind the ceiling and under the floor.

Ductless split systems, also known as ductless mini-splits, work similarly to a heat pump, providing electric heating and cooling by moving heat rather than generating it from a fuel source. The biggest difference between ductless systems and traditional central HVAC is that no ductwork is required to transport conditioned air.

Instead, a wall-mounted air handler is installed in each room where you want heating and cooling. Up to eight independently operating indoor air handlers can connect to a single outdoor condensing unit, which is what makes precise temperature control possible with ductless mini-splits.

Benefits of Ductless Split Systems

With traditional central heating and cooling available, why would someone choose a ductless split system instead? Consider these reasons:

• Zoned temperature control: Zoning is when you heat and cool only certain parts of a building at once. It’s the ideal way to keep your home comfortable because it lets you optimize the temperature room by room. It’s possible to create a zoned central HVAC system by installing multiple thermostats and putting motorized dampers in the ductwork, but ductless split systems make it easier to achieve optimal temperature control.
• Energy efficiency: Ductwork is inherently inefficient. Leaks can introduce unconditioned air into the living space, forcing the HVAC equipment to work harder. Plus, even with proper insulation, the air loses some heat or coolness while traveling to the supply registers. Ductless systems eliminate air ducts, along with the inefficiencies inherent to them.
• Improved air quality: Ductwork isn’t just inefficient—it’s also dirty. Regular cleaning is required to remove dust, grime, cobwebs, and other debris from air ducts. Installing a ductless split system is an easy way to avoid this hassle.
• Ease of installation: Installing a traditional ducted HVAC system in a home without existing ductwork can take weeks and disrupt your daily activities. With a ductless split system, you don’t have to fret about costly construction work. The crew simply sets up a condensing unit in your yard, mounts air handlers to the walls, and drills three-inch holes in the wall to run small pipes and cables from each air handler to the condensing unit.
• Lower costs: A ductless mini-split can save you money in numerous ways. First, you save with affordable purchase and installation costs. Then, you enjoy lower utility bills thanks to improved efficiency and zoned temperature control. You may even qualify for valuable tax credits and utility rebates.

When to Install a Ductless Split System

You stand to benefit the most from installing a ductless mini-split if any of the following applies to your home or business:

• No pre-existing ductwork: Many older buildings have radiators or baseboard heaters and no central air. In this case, occupants may be forced to use cumbersome window air conditioning units. Reclaim your windows and maximize indoor comfort without the high cost of routing new ductwork by installing a ductless split system.
• Rooms with heating or cooling difficulties: Is the basement uncomfortably cold compared to the rest of the house? Does your south-facing office always feel too hot? You can combat these disparities with strategically placed ductless mini-splits.
• Family members with different cooling needs: You may want your newborn to have a nice, warm nursery to nap in, but family members in other parts of the house complain that it’s too hot. The precise temperature control made possible by a ductless split system ends the argument once and for all.
• Recently added home addition: You may finally have the extra space you have always wanted, but extending the ductwork to a home addition can be a complicated, expensive process. You might even need to replace the HVAC system to avoid overextending it. Skip the headache and install a dedicated ductless mini-split in the recently added parts of your home.

Ductless Split Systems in Anne Arundel County

Ready to upgrade to a ductless split system? The HVAC experts at Barstow and Sons can help! We install top-quality mini-split brands and provide excellent customer service, all at a fair, upfront price—guaranteed. Whether your goal is to save money, boost efficiency, or improve comfort, you can have it all with a ductless split system. Give us a call at 410-777-9185 to schedule an appointment today.