Choosing to install ductless air conditioners instead of central air in your home can often be a more affordable and cost-effective choice. If you own an older home that has baseboard heating or radiators, you most likely won’t have ductwork already in your home, which is needed for central air. Another possibility is that you have added an addition to your home or wish to convert an existing attached garage into an additional climate controlled living space. These are all good scenarios where a ductless air conditioner may be your best solution for cooling your living space.
Minimal Disruption to Your Home
Installing a ductless air conditioner in your home is much less involved than installing a central air system. If you don’t have ductwork installed, you would need to have your home retrofitted to work with central air conditioning. This could mean opening up walls and disturbing the interior of your home. However, this isn’t necessary if you are installing ductless air conditioning.
With central air, you would also need to have an air handler unit installed inside your home. This could be an issue if you are short on space in your utility room or if don’t have much room in your attic. With ductless a/c, the only equipment that is installed inside your home is a wall unit that contains both a fan and evaporator unit. This component is installed on an exterior wall that is up high near the ceiling. Copper refrigerant lines are run through a small hole that is drilled through the wall to connect the indoor component to an outdoor compressor unit. The outdoor component is wired to electric and powers the indoor fan/evaporator unit, so there is no need for additional electric work inside.
Ductless Air Conditioners Work Similarly to Central Air
Ductless air conditioners work very similarly to a central air conditioning system but without the need for ductwork or large pieces of equipment installed in your home. Just like a central air system, the ductless system’s compressor circulates and cools the refrigerant that travels to the system’s indoor component through its copper refrigerant lines. The cooled air is then distributed by the system’s fan. Because cooled air is heavier than hot air, the cooled air drops and the hot air in the room rises and is sent outdoors as the heat from the air is absorbed by the refrigerant being circulated. This heat is sent to the compressor outdoors where the heat is dispersed.
Added Benefits of Choosing Ductless Air Conditioners for Your Home
There are multiple benefits in choosing ductless air conditioning for your home:
- Ductless air conditioners use less electricity than window units and are much quieter than both window and traditional central systems that use ducts
- It’s easier to keep areas cooled at a consistent temperature
- Improved air quality because ductless air conditioners remove moisture from the air, which otherwise could promote the growth of mold and mildew
- When installing multiple ductless air conditioning units, you can have several zones that allow you to cool areas separately for customized comfort for your family, in addition to energy savings
You can learn more about ductless air conditioners and whether this type of system is ideal for your home by contacting the heating and cooling experts at Edwin Stipe Inc.
