A Ductless Mini-Split System Can Cool And Heat Your Home

If your home needs a new air conditioner or heater, or if you want to cool and heat a detached garage or home addition, look into a ductless mini-split system. This equipment is both an air conditioner and a heater, so you won't need a furnace or air handler. You don't even need ducts. Here's how it works.

A Ductless Mini-Split Reverses Cool Air Flow

A ductless mini-split system blows chilled air out of blowers on the walls of your home when you run the air conditioning. When you select heating mode, the reversing valve kicks in and blows cold air outside. Hot air always blows out the opposite side, and this is how it can both heat and cool your home.

If you've stood behind a window air conditioner or an AC condenser, you know how an air conditioner blows out hot air when it's blowing cool air inside. A ductless mini-split uses the same principle, but it has a reversing valve so the hot and cold air can change directions.

The Equipment Is Controlled With A Remote

A ductless mini-split works in a different way than an HVAC that has a central thermostat. Air blows out of blowers that are hung on the walls in various locations around your home. Each blower has its own remote control that adjusts the temperature independently.

This is a good system if you like it colder than other people in your home. You can set your bedroom to whatever temperature you like and you can set your family room to a different temperature. This helps you control your power bills, too, since you won't have to heat or cool rooms you rarely use.

The Equipment Needs Attention During All Seasons

Unlike a traditional HVAC system where you can forget about the condenser that's outside during the winter, you need to check on mini-split equipment throughout the year since it works during the winter, too. A ductless mini-split system is made up of a condenser that is installed outdoors and blowers that are mounted on the inside walls.

The outside condenser might be installed on an exterior wall or even your roof if your area gets a lot of snow or if flooding is a risk. The condenser needs to stay clear of obstructions because fall leaves, snow, and floods can cause your equipment to stop working. Choosing the installation spot for a mini-split system takes some forethought. You may need to have your ductless mini-split system serviced twice each year when you use it for both heating and cooling.

For more information, reach out to a local service, such as Universal Heating and Plumbing.