When the hot summer weather hits, you want to ensure that you have a reliable home air conditioning system. Currently, there are two main options on the market to choose from. These include the traditional centralized air conditioning system and the newer ductless mini-split system.
Centralized Air Conditioning
Probably, the air conditioning option that most people are familiar with is centralized air conditioning. This type of system uses ductwork to circulate air to an indoor air handler unit. This unit uses refrigerant to absorb heat and transports it to the outdoor condenser unit, which disperses the heat to the outdoors. In most cases, the same ducting that is used for a centralized air conditioning system is used for a forced-air furnace. Additionally, there is only one thermostat that is used to control the entire system.
Ductless Mini-Split
A ductless mini-split system works similarly to a central air conditioning system in that it uses refrigerant to absorb heat and take it to the outdoor condenser unit to be dispersed. These units do not include ductwork to circulate the air. There are multiple indoor air handler units referred to as mini-split units. Each individual unit will pull in air from a specific room, remove its heat, and disperse the now-cold air back into the room. Each mini-split unit will have its own thermostat settings that operate independently of the rest of the units.
Cost Considerations
As with any sort of purchase for your home, you need to take cost into consideration. At the most basic level, a centralized air conditioning system is going to be cheaper to purchase then a ductless mini-split system. When it comes to installation costs, they can vary depending on whether you have a newly constructed home or an existing home.
A centralized air conditioning system must have ductwork installed for it to work properly. If you have an existing home, some of your drywall and flooring will need to be removed in order to install the ductwork. This can be time consuming and costly. However, if you already have ducting installed thanks to your heating system, the installation cost is going to be much less.
The ductless mini-split system doesn’t require any invasive installation. Rather, each mini-split unit must be mounted in its designated room, and a small hole must be drilled through the exterior wall to connect piping from that indoor unit to the outdoor condenser unit.
A Note on Heating
While both centralized air conditioning systems and ductless mini-split systems can air condition your home, only the ductless system is able to adequately heat your home too. It does this by simply reversing the direction of the refrigerant. It will absorb heat from the outside and transport it to the inside of your home to heat it during the winter months. For many, this dual-purpose benefit of a ductless mini-split system helps to outweigh its more expensive upfront cost than a single centralized air conditioning system.
Energy Efficiency
When it comes to operation, both the ductless mini-split system and central air conditioning system are going to operate fairly efficiently. However, over time, the ductwork used for a centralized air conditioning system can develop leaks. These leaks can allow cold air to escape out into your wall and floor cavities. With a ductless mini-split system, you never have to worry about any cold air loss as it’s directed right back into the room the air was pulled out of. This makes the ductless mini-split system more energy efficient than a traditional centralized air conditioning system.
Zone Controls
One of the more significant disadvantages of a traditional air conditioning system is that it only offers one thermostat to control the temperature throughout your entire home. Unless you spend extra money to create different zones throughout your home, you’re stuck with that singular thermostat. With a ductless mini-split system, each mini-split unit has its own built-in thermostat. This allows you to set different temperatures in different rooms of your home, depending on your individual preferences. This is not only great for increasing your comfort level but also for allowing more efficient energy usage.
Trustworthy AC Service
Simply Mechanical provides trustworthy AC service for the entire Littleton, CO community. We can also help with all of your heating, indoor air quality, Wi-Fi thermostat, heat pump, and mini-split needs. Give us a buzz today to schedule your next service consultation.
