As with any major investment, you have more than one option when it comes to cooling your home. A traditional HVAC unit certainly has familiarity on its side—it’s been the standard for seemingly decades. But that alone shouldn’t make it your go-to choice when mini-split AC systems are quieter and more energy-efficient than their central AC counterparts.
In this blog, we’ll go over the following benefits of a mini-split AC system:
- No Ductwork Required
- Multiple Climate Zones
- Inverter-Driven Compressors
- Energy Efficiency
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No Ductwork Required
A mini-split air conditioning system eliminates the need for ductwork in your home, which is a significant benefit when 20-30% of conditioned air moving through central AC systems can escape via leaks and holes in the ductwork. More conditioned air reaching more rooms means more money in your wallet.
Not needing to install ductwork is a bonus if you’re buying an older house that doesn’t already have it, which means you’ll save on your house price and skip paying thousands of dollars to install new ducts. Ductwork installation is intrusive and can take several days. There is no need for gaping spaces to be cut in your walls to support a system of ducts throughout your house. Meanwhile, with mini-split systems, all a contractor needs for the installation is drilling holes large enough for the system’s narrow refrigerant-carrying tubes to pass through en route to each indoor unit.
Though a mini-split system is generally more expensive to install, it may be more cost-effective than installing or replacing ductwork for a central AC system (which can quickly get pricey if your house has multiple stories). Not to mention the amount of money you’ll save on your monthly energy bills by eliminating conditioned air from escaping through duct holes.
Multiple Climate Zones
With a mini-split AC system, you’ll receive an outdoor unit paired with multiple indoor units. Having indoor units spread throughout your home means more control for everybody sharing your living space, eliminating never-ending thermostat wars.
Your bedroom can be as cold as you like it. Meanwhile, your guest can keep their room as cold as they like it. Everybody has control over their own climate zone. For many, this alone makes the extra cost of installing a mini-split worthwhile.
Inverter-Driven Compressors
Mini-split air-conditioning systems utilize inverter-driven compressors, also known as variable speed compressors.
To demonstrate the differences between a variable-speed mini-split AC system and a single-stage central AC unit, the central AC clicks on and shuts off once it reaches your desired temperature, and it always runs on full blast. On the other hand, variable-speed mini-split AC systems can run for extended periods and adjust their speed to accommodate your demands without needing to shut off and restart, which helps save money because constant restarting consumes massive amounts of energy.
All in all, a system that is constantly shutting off and having to restart itself uses much more energy than one that continuously runs, merely speeding up or slowing down.
Energy Efficiency
In addition to technology like the inverter-driven compressor, mini-split systems have other advantages when it comes to energy efficiency.
As we’ve mentioned above, when conditioned air travels through a bulky network of ducts, energy gets lost. Plus, if any part of the ductwork is not airtight, which is highly likely over time, then energy is being wasted. A mini-split AC system’s narrow pipes eliminate this waste of energy and money. Not only are they less intrusive to install, as we mentioned earlier, but they also transport their contents more efficiently.
Is a Mini-Split System Right for You?
Maybe you’ve purchased an older house that doesn’t have a traditional AC system, which includes an outdoor condenser unit, an indoor unit, and a system of ducts and vents installed throughout the house. If so, a mini-split system could be right for you.
Or perhaps you’re concerned about energy efficiency and saving on your monthly utility bills. Again, the mini-split system could be your solution.
If you’re tired of thermostat wars within your household, a mini-split system has multiple climate zones and can enable everybody in the house to manage their comfort levels.
When it comes to cooling your home, you have options. It’s just a matter of deciding what system best suits your needs.
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Roy’s AC specialists have been serving the Buffalo community for nearly 50 years. Since 1974, we’ve sized and installed thousands of AC units, providing each and every customer with our first-class services (just look at our thousands of 5-star reviews), upfront pricing, and great financing options.