You probably had your first introduction to ductless mini splits when you saw the air handler for one hanging on the wall of a restaurant, bar, or other commercial establishment.
These HVAC systems have been popular in homes in Japan and Europe since the 1980s, but they made their first inroads in the US in businesses. Now they’re beginning to enter US household use as well. You may be in a position where you’re considering mini split ductless systems in Jacksonville, AR as a potential installation for your house.
People who are new to ductless mini splits have many questions about them, and we’re going to answer one of the most common here: “Can a ductless mini split work as an effective home heating system?”
The answer is…
YES.
Okay, maybe you want more info than that. Let’s get into the details below.
Ductless Mini Splits are Heat Pumps
Heat pumps are refrigerant-based HVAC systems that work almost identically to air conditioners. By circulating refrigerant between a set of coils, one indoors and the other outdoors, the heat pump moves heat from one place to the other. Where an air conditioner can only move heat in one direction (indoors to outdoors), a heat pump can switch its operation to bring heat from the outdoors and exhaust it indoors.
Although there are a few “cool only” ductless systems, most are heat pumps. If you have one in your home, you can program the individual air handlers in your rooms to release heated air.
Ductless Mini Splits Can Keep Up with the Cold
Since people only need to have heat pumps running in heating mode when the outdoor temperatures are low, where is the heat pump drawing heat from? There is always some heat energy in the air, no matter how low the temperature is. However, heat pumps can lose energy efficiency when temperatures outdoors drop below freezing. It requires much more energy for heat pumps to draw enough heat when it’s that cold.
This is why heat pumps are better suited for areas with milder winters—like the Conway area! We do get some cold winter nights, but it’s rare for temperatures to get far below freezing. Our climate is ideal for how heat pumps work, and therefore ideal for ductless mini split systems.
You can expect to pay much less to heat your home using a ductless mini split than an electric furnace. Ductless systems only expend electricity to move heat, not generate it the way an electric furnace does. Plus, ductless systems don’t lose heat through duct walls the way furnaces or even standard heat pumps do. Ductless heating is one of the most cost-effective ways to warm your house.
As for Air Conditioning…
Using the AC may not be on your mind at the moment, but let us assure you that a ductless system has the same cooling power as any air conditioner of comparable size. You’ll get the same cool air without the nuisances that come with ductwork.
If you want to know more about installing a ductless HVAC system, contact us today. Dewees HVAC proudly serves the Conway area.