The popularity of alternate air condition options is skyrocketing—and for good reason. Among these options are heat pumps and ductless mini splits. If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your air conditioning in Mandeville, LA, have you considered making the switch to one of these systems? If you’re not aware of the benefits of heat pumps and mini splits, you’re not alone. Read on to learn what makes these systems so unique and why one might just be the perfect fit for your home.
Traditional Central Heating and Cooling Systems
Let’s take a look at how traditional HVAC systems work to illustrate how heat pumps and mini splits are different.
Furnaces use a power source (usually natural gas, oil, or electricity) to generate heat and then distribute that heat through the home. In fact, the word for furnace comes from the Latin word for oven. Furnaces are also referred to as central heating systems and forced-air furnaces. This is because they distribute the heated air via a blower.
Air Conditioners work by removing the heat inside your house and transferring it outside. The transfer process relies on a cooling agent or refrigerant. Central air conditioners use a “split system” made up of an indoor evaporator unit and an outdoor condenser unit.
How Heat Pumps and Mini Splits Are Different
It helps to think of heat pumps as essentially an air conditioner with an added feature that allows it to work as both a heater and an air conditioner. This feature is called a reversing valve. When the heat pump is set to heating mode, the reversing valve reverses the refrigerant flow. Ducted heat pumps use air ducts to distribute either the cooled or heated air throughout the home, making them ideal for homes with solid ductwork.
However, what if your home suffers from older, outdated ductwork that isn’t in great condition? That’s where the ductless mini split comes in.
Ductless Mini Splits
A ductless mini split technically functions as a heat pump, using refrigerant in practically the same way. However, the aptly-named ductless mini split doesn’t use ducts. Instead, the refrigerant lines run directly to air handler units that can be mounted on various walls of your home. Not only do they not require ductwork, but the fact that each unit can be set at different temperatures provides incredible zone control comfort.
You’ll be able to control the temperature in individual rooms rather than having to heat or cool your entire home. This setup is perfect for families where one person tends to run cooler or hotter than other household members. Ductless mini splits also eliminate the problems that can accompany ducted systems such as wasted energy due to low-quality ductwork and poor IAQ.
Both heat pumps and mini splits are highly energy efficient. That means they’ll save you money year-round on your heating and cooling bills. Another advantage is the fact that they’re two-in-one systems. If your heater is due to be replaced or if its performance has been suffering, when you upgrade your air conditioner with a heat pump or mini split, you’re also essentially replacing your heating system.
If you’re excited about the advantages that heat pumps offer, contact us to learn more about these nifty systems.
When you need it done right contact Professional Heating & Air.