What Is a Mini Split?
What is a mini split and is it right for your home?
With the warmer weather here, many people are either upgrading their current air conditioning systems or installing a new air conditioner system to cool their homes. If you are reassessing your home cooling system you may want to consider going ductless for more efficient climate control. Use this guide to answer the main question that comes with ductless air conditioning – what is a mini split?
What Is a Mini Split?
A mini split air conditioner (also known as a ductless air conditioner) offers an efficient and easy way to control the climate in separate zones within your home. To better understand how they work, it is best to compare mini split vs. central air conditioners.
Traditional:Traditional central air conditioners use a single unit placed in a central location such as a closet or an attic. Ducts throughout the house pull air to the central unit to cool it down and then deliver it back to the rooms through the venting systems. All air is cooled and delivered at the same temperature which can only be adjusted via a thermostat. To learn more about other cooling methods read How to Cool Down a Room.
Ductless: A ductless mini split air conditioner, on the other hand, uses a single outdoor compressor unit to deliver cool air (or hot air if you have a heat pump) through individual fan and evaporator units. These individual units connect to the outdoor compressor via electric, refrigerant, and drain lines, which cool the air down as it moves. Once cooled the air is then returned to the individual indoor units installed throughout your home – allowing for customizable zone cooling. Mini splits don't need ducts, but rather only three inch holes for their conduit covered cables and lines, leaving little to no structural impact on your home.
Tip!
Mini split air conditioners can also be used to supplement current central air conditioners, particularly in home extensions.
Installation
To help you better decide if going ductless is for you, consider the mini split AC installation process.
Traditional:Installing a traditional air conditioning system requires the fitting of ducts throughout your home through the walls, ceilings, and even floors. This is often a costly, lengthy, and intrusive process that is often hindered when there is no space for additional ductwork.
Ductless:Mini split air conditioners require no ducts and are compact and easy to install, even in hard to reach places like garages or spots where you can't extend or add ductwork. Ductless air conditioners are far more efficient than traditional models which are notorious for losing more than 30% of the energy consumption required for space cooling – particularly in locations like the attic or basement.
Tip!
Mini split AC installation is best left to professionals due to its complexity.
Sizing
It is imperative to correctly size your mini split air conditioner in order to prevent energy waste and avoiding forcing the unit to work unnecessarily. An incorrectly sized mini split can create a decline in performance and efficiency over time.
Many people worry that a mini split is too small to cool their home, but it is important to remember that they are designed for cooling single rooms and not entire households. The larger the room, the more British Thermal Units (BTUs) needed. To learn more about air conditioner sizes, read What Size Air Conditioner Do I Need?
To choose the correct size, you need to measure the square footage of your home.
Small Room:A small bedroom or home office of between 100 and 300 sq. ft. will need between 5,000 and 6,000 BTU for cooling.
Medium Room: A master bedroom or playroom of between 250 and 400 sq. ft. requires an air conditioner with between 7,000 and 8,500 BTU for cooling.
Large Room:For living rooms, kitchens, and open plan spaces of between 350 and 750 sq. ft. you would benefit from between 9,800 and 18,000 BTU.
Extra-Large Rooms: If your space is particularly large between 800 and 1300 sq. ft., you can invest in a mini split with 24,000 BTU.
There are many reasons to love a ductless mini split.
- A mini split air conditioner is an ideal investment if you are looking to install both heating and cooling, as there are many available models that provide both capabilities thanks to an added heat pump.
- They are extremely quiet and can run as low as 19dB thanks to their compressors being installed outside.
- Thanks to their energy-saving technologies, they can keep your costs down and even potentially qualify you for an energy rebate depending on where you live.
- They work well for multi-family homes or any home where individual cooling is preferred.
- Since they don't need ductwork, you can install mini split air conditioners almost anywhere.
- They are small in size and easy to hide or blend into your home decor.
- They are more budget-friendly and require less installation time.
- They do not lose energy through duct leaks.
- Installation options are more flexible — mini split air conditioners can suspend from the ceiling, hang on a wall, or operate with floor-standing models.
- They can cool (or warm) multiple places at the same time at different temperatures independently of one another.
- Now your question should no longer be what is a mini split but instead where can I get my mini split? And the answer is right here!
