You may already have some familiarity with ductless mini-split AC systems in Staten Island, NY. You can find them in businesses and in older apartment complexes. When you see what looks like a small-sized window AC up on the wall—and with no actual window behind it—that’s the air handler part of a ductless mini-split.
Instead of exhausting the heat from the room directly out the back of the unit the way a window AC does, the air handler of a ductless system connects through refrigerant and power lines to an outdoor condenser cabinet that looks the same as the condenser cabinet of a standard central air conditioner. This outdoor unit can connect to multiple indoor air handlers (from 4 to 8 depending on the capacity of the system) so cool air can be sent into rooms all around the house.
This May Be a Good Choice for Your Next HVAC Installation
Reading the above description about how a ductless air conditioner works may give you some idea of their benefits. But is a ductless system a sensible choice for your house as an HVAC system? Here are situations where going with a ductless mini-split system is an excellent choice.
- Older and vintage homes: The reason ductless systems are often found in older buildings is that they don’t require extensive changes. Central air conditioning didn’t start to make big inroads into homes until the 1970s so these buildings were constructed without ductwork. If you have a home without ducts and you’ve relied on window ACs for cooling, a ductless installation lets you break free of these ugly and inefficient units and enjoy central cooling.
- Remodeling projects: When you make big changes to your house, dealing with ductwork modifications is a serious pain. It also restricts the room available to you. If you choose to have a ductless system installed to replace the older HVAC system, you’ll free up space and have an easier remodeling.
- Add-on rooms: You don’t have to make a ductless system the exclusive air conditioner for the whole house. It can be used to cool a single area, and this is useful if the area is an add-on room. You won’t need to redesign the ducts or put in a new AC to accommodate the room.
- Hard to cool spots: Another limited use of a ductless mini-split is to put one in to help with cooling a part of the house that’s often too hot and the standard AC can’t reach it. For example, you can convert part of the garage to a workspace and use a ductless mini-split to cool it.
- New home construction: Something else to know is that most ductless mini splits are heat pumps rather than just air conditioners. This means they can provide heating as well as cooling. With this single installation, you’ll have all your comfort needs taken care of around the year. So if you’re planning to build a new house, a ductless mini-split may be all the HVAC system you need!
Bob Mims Heating & Air Conditioning has served Staten Island’s Heating and A/C needs since 1955. Schedule ductless system services today.
