If you are thinking about changing your basic HVAC equipment, it might be time for you to look at a ductless air conditioner. They are becoming increasingly popular in the U.S., and they have been used extensively in Europe and Southeast Asia for a while now. But why is that? Well, they seem to have a lot of benefits over the conventional type of HVAC equipment. Some of them include the cheaper price, and the easier to install features.
Today, we are going to explore everything there is to know about a ductless air conditioner, from its components, the different types, how it actually works, and why you should buy one. Let’s begin!
A ductless air conditioner is made up of two main units: the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. The outdoor unit is itself split into three different parts: the compressor, the fan, and the condensing coil. The indoor unit includes a fan for airflow and the evaporator coil. The two units are connected by line-sets, which are made of heat insulated copper tubing, in order to transfer the refrigerant. But let’s take a closer look at what each of the components does.
The compressor is the most important part of a ductless air conditioner. And it is also the most expensive one. It is so important because it is the compressor that transforms the low-pressure gas into high-pressure one. Basically, without the compressor, the process of heat transfer would not be effectively completed.
The fans also have an important role in a ductless air conditioner, since they draw the indoor air that is full of heat energy, and they release it outdoors, into the atmosphere. But what about the condensing coil? This component is made of aluminum fins that cycle the hot refrigerant and converts it from a high-pressure gas to a high-pressure liquid.
Most often than not, a ductless air conditioner works the same way as a traditional ducted air conditioner. The only difference is that there is no need for you to install ductwork and other type of equipment in your home. The cooling process follows some basic steps:
Depending on whether you want to install a ductless air conditioner that only covers a single area, or one that reaches multiple ones, there are two type of ductless air conditioners, so you don’t have to worry that you won’t be able to get one to fit your needs. You have the possibility to purchase a mini split ductless air conditioner or a multi split ductless air conditioner.
The first option has a single outdoor condenser and indoor fan coil and it is perfect if you only need to cool one room. It can also be installed on a building with more than one inhabitant, in which case you need a condensing unit for each apartment or room and several systems. However, each unit will be able to set their own temperature, independent of the rest. If one of them breaks down, the rest should be able to still work properly, since they are not connected to the same system.
The multi split ductless air conditioner also has only one outdoor condenser, but unlike the mini split ductless air conditioner, it has multiple indoor air handlers. In this type of configuration, you have two options. You can either have an indoor unit with a thermostat and activate the cooling system in all the rooms room when necessary, or get a condensing unit with separate compressor circuits. These circuits are going to be connected to each individual air handler, and you are going to have a thermostat for each, that you can control at your liking. So if you want to cool only a specific area in your house at once, this should be the best option for you.
Now that we’ve seen what ductless air conditioners are made of, how they work, and what types you can find, it’s time to see where exactly you can install such a device. First of all, you should know that they are extremely flexible, and they can be made to fit almost any type of arrangement and building.
Because of their size, which is considerably smaller than the traditional air conditioner unit, they can be installed in attics, basements, garages, condos, server rooms, and so on. Moreover, since they don’t make a lot of noise, you don’t have to worry about them being a burden. You can install one in your bedroom, in a meeting room, in a hospital, church, or even a recording studio. Lastly, since a ductless air conditioner is quite powerful, it can be used in buildings with multiple tenants, hotels, data centers, office buildings, and so on.
Basically, you can install a ductless air conditioner anywhere you want. And it comes with a lot of benefits, compared to the ducted one. And because we know that you’ve been waiting to hear what the benefits are, we are not going to make you wait a minute longer. Let’s explore what makes a ductless air conditioner the best cooling option for your home.
This is probably one of the main reasons why so many people have decided to switch to a ductless air conditioner. Since the prices for a traditional ducted air conditioner are pretty high, a solution had to be found. And it has been. The ductless air conditioner is smaller, so it uses less power, which leads to less money spent on air conditioning. Most basic air conditioners are not entirely effective, since they transmit the cool air through ducts, but the ductless air conditioners eliminate this problem, since the cold air gets delivered directly into your home.
Moreover, since you can choose which rooms to cool with the multi split ductless air conditioner, you don’t have to spend extra energy cooling rooms that you don’t use or that don’t need cooling.
The issue of air quality is also strongly related to air ducts. Since the old air conditioner units use air ducts to send the cool air indoors, the ducts have to be cleaned on a regular basis. Even when they are clean, dust and allergens can still be found there, and this seriously damages the air quality indoors. But with a ductless air conditioner, there is no necessity of periodical cleaning, and it also filters the air allergens, dust, bacteria, and so on. So if you want to breathe a cleaner air, we suggest you try a ductless air conditioner.
Unlike the traditional air conditioner, the ductless air conditioner is easy to install in your home, since it doesn’t require a lot of equipment. If you only install a small number of indoor and outdoor units, you can get the job done in a day, while you would have to wait weeks to get a ducted air conditioner installed.
Another important benefit is the fact that you don’t have to make drastic changes in your home, such as rebuilding walls to go around the ducts, or sacrificing a lot of free space. The ductless air conditioner only needs a three-inch hole to be installed.
Not only is a ductless air conditioner better for you, it is also better for the environment. Due to its small size and the fact that you can control which room to cool and when, the ductless air conditioner is really energy-efficient. And this does not only come in handy for your electricity bill, but also for the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.
But the benefits of a ductless air conditioner don’t stop here. Such systems use advanced chemistry so as to reduce as much as possible its effects on the environment. The refrigerant they use is called R410A, and it has a potential for zero ozone depletion.
All in all, ductless air conditioners are definitely the cooling units of the future. Since they have so many benefits, from cost-efficiency, to easy installation and use, better air quality, lower carbon footprint, and so many customizable features, it is not hard to understand why. So if you are looking to replace your old air conditioning unit and you want something that doesn’t take up a lot of space, gives you the liberty to choose which room you want to cool at any given time, saves you money on electricity, and also helps the environment in the process, then a ductless air conditioner is the perfect choice for you.
