Ductless heating, more commonly known as ductless mini-split heating, is a type of HVAC system that doesn’t rely on traditional ductwork to distribute warm air throughout a home or business. This allows for a lot more flexibility in system design and for independent temperature control in different parts of a structure. Many ductless mini-split systems can provide both heating and cooling. Depending on your specific needs, a ductless system might be the best option for your home or business.

How Does Ductless Heating Work?

A ductless mini-split HVAC system uses one or more indoor air handling units, one for each room to be heated or cooled. Each air handling unit is connected to its own outdoor condensing unit. The indoor air handling unit collects air from the room and sends it to the condensing unit, then circulates the returning heated or cooled air through the room. The outdoor unit contains a fan and a refrigerated evaporator coil for cooling, while for heating it operates like a heat pump, collecting heat from the outdoors even in freezing temps. A ductless system is all-electric and runs very efficiently.

The Benefits Of Ductless Heating

• Flexible HVAC Solutions

  Since ductless mini-split systems are designed to provide heating and cooling to individual zones within a building, they can be a perfect solution for providing temperature controls to parts of a home not serviced by ductwork. Examples include garages (where using ductwork is illegal for safety reasons), finished basements, attic rooms, add-ons, and for areas where heating or cooling isn’t sufficient or where individual room temperature control is desired.

• Energy Efficiency

  In a ducted HVAC system, much of the heat or cold in the air is lost as it travels through the ductwork, resulting in a significant loss of efficiency. In a ductless system, the conditioned air is circulated directly into the room using much less energy than a traditional electric forced-air system.

• Fast and Easy Installation

  Most types of ductless system require only a three-inch opening to be drilled through a wall to run a conduit to the outdoor unit. The indoor unit can be mounted almost anywhere in a room, and the outdoor unit can be as far as 50 feet away, allowing flexibility in its placement.

• Easy Maintenance
  

  Routine maintenance is simple and quick, consisting of changing the air filters regularly and keeping debris away from the outside unit. An annual inspection by your local HVAC professional will keep the system in top operating order.

Ductless Heating Installation Considerations

Although ductless HVAC systems are easy to install, you should consult with an experienced installation contractor to help you determine what size unit you need for your specific application. If it is too large, it will use more energy than necessary; if it’s too small, it won’t be as effective or efficient. Make sure your contractor has experience working with ductless mini-split systems.

If you have questions about installing ductless heating in your Kentucky home or business within our service area, contact Knight’s Mechanical for a free consultation.