Is a Ductless System Right for Me?
If you’ve been looking into replacing your air conditioner, you’ve probably heard at least a thing or two about ductless air conditioning systems. A ductless system is a small, inexpensive, and energy-efficient air conditioner that is quickly becoming a popular choice for homeowners. There are a number of benefits to these systems that a central heating and cooling system couldn’t ever hope to offer you, however they’re not right for all applications.
As a Sarasota air conditioning company, we want to help you make the best investment in your home, so we’ll explain when a ductless system is the best decision and when they may not be the optimal choice for what you need.
When Ductless is Right
First thing’s first, a ductless air conditioning system does not have ducts to bring the air from the cooling coil to the rest of your home, so instead it just pumps it straight out into the room where it’s installed. This makes them a great choice for any rooms which already have either no connection to your central heating and cooling system, or a very weak connection. Got a room in your home that struggles to stay cool during summer? A ductless system may be an inexpensive and energy-efficient way to keep that room comfortable. Not only do you not need to perform a major diagnosis and adjustment to your existing system, but you only have to utilize your ductless system when you’d like, so you don’t have to worry about cooling that room when you aren’t using it!
This makes ductless systems ideal for everything from garages and attics to finished basements, stubborn bedrooms, or even home additions.
Furthermore, if your home doesn’t already have ducts installed, installing them is extremely expensive, if it’s even possible at all. In this instance, you may want to consider simply purchasing a series of these ductless systems in order to cool your home. Not only will this save you a substantial amount of money and life interruption from not having to tear open your walls to run ducts, but you’ll also save energy over having a central cooling system.
When Ductless Isn’t Right
Ductless systems have their benefits, as we’ve seen, but they’re not always right. For starters, ductless systems are not effective at cooling large, open spaces—they simply don’t have the output power that’s strong enough to keep them cool and comfortable.
Furthermore, ductless systems can only be installed in rooms that have a direct connection to the outside of your home. Much like your normal air conditioner, the refrigerant cycle will create heat, and the heat needs a way of being moved outside or else your system won’t actually cool your home. As such, any rooms that have no exterior facing walls won’t be able to utilize these systems all that well. You could purchase a ductless mini split system, but at that point the installation is going to be extra expensive too.
Finally, ductless systems should not be used anywhere you’re not comfortable cutting a hole in your wall. Even mini-split systems require a small hole so that your refrigerant and electrical lines can reach the outdoor unit, and non-split systems require a large hole as they’re one single self-contained unit. While you can place things like covers and fascia over the smaller holes, larger ones do have a somewhat unappealing aesthetic look that may put some people off.
Need Air Conditioning Installation? Talk to your air conditioning repair experts at Airrific Air Conditioning & Heating today! Call (941) 371-3355.
