When was the last time you looked forward to lugging around those heavy window AC units to fight the heat and humidity of summer? Let me guess…never. The alternative has always been to install a central AC system, until now. When it comes to providing a heating and cooling system for your home, the complexity of central systems can create a headache and expense that are just too much for many homeowners. Thankfully, advances in heating and cooling solutions, in the form of mini-splits, give you another option that may be easier and cheaper, with the same heating and cooling comfort of a central system. With that in mind, here is a handy guide to mini-splits, as well as how they can be of benefit to your home…and your back.
Stop breaking your back with heavy AC units!
How Do Mini-Splits Work?
Put simply, mini-splits primarily act in the same manner as other contemporary HVAC systems, except for one key difference. While other systems tend to use ductwork that is inefficient and obtrusive, mini-splits use small copper tubing that not only get the job done, but with half of the room that a traditional system requires. A compressor and condenser unit are located outside of the house just like central HVAC systems, but instead of running ductwork through walls and ceilings, a mini-split system uses copper tubing to connect directly to sleek wall blower units. Best of all, this tubing can then be used in reverse as the seasons change, ensuring that your home is always supplied with an adequate amount of hot or cool air as needed.
What Are the Advantages of Mini-Splits?
Aside from it’s ease-of-use and the ability to install itself virtually anywhere, there are a number of other additional advantages to the mini-split system. Thanks to the way in which the system is designed, mini-splits allow for individual zoning within a home, allowing you to pick and choose which rooms are heated or cooled at any given time. This can have a huge effect on energy savings. This also makes mini-splits ideal for use in select rooms or it allows you to install the system in stages, instead of all at once.
What’s that noise? …Nothing.
In addition to zoning and modular installation benefits, the mini-split system also has one that is often overlooked: it’s much more quiet than its predecessors. While it’s not uncommon for people to “get used” to the sound of a noisy HVAC system, it’s much more preferable that the mini-split system produces no sound to get used to at all.
Lennox Mini Split System
What Are the Energy Savings for Mini-Splits?
As previously mentioned, the individual zoning capabilities of the mini-split system means that you’ll have much more control over your energy bill. Additionally, mini-splits are known for simply being more efficient with their energy usage than any of their contemporary systems. As a matter of fact, mini-split systems have been found to provide up to 35% more air than any other traditional systems. Traditional HVAC systems suffer from a huge amount of energy loss due to the long lengths of winding ductwork that is required to move their heating or cooling air throughout your home. Mini-splits are so effective at energy transference that many of them will save substantial money on your utility bills as soon as they are installed. Because of their energy efficiency, many states offer rebate programs to encourage the installation of mini-splits. Check with your state for details on available rebates.
How Much Does a Mini-Split System Cost?
When the savings they provide is taken into account, mini-splits more than make up for the price of their initial installation. Costs for the system and installation usually start around $2000. As the cost can vary depending on the manufacturer of the system, it’s recommended to get multiple quotes before making any commitments. Mini-split systems are manufactured by a variety of well-known companies, such as Lennox, Fujitsu, Mitsubishi and many more. For the do-it-yourself crowd, mini-split systems can be purchased online. The energy savings and years of comfort provided by mini-split make them a smart investment – if you’re interested in saving some money…and your aching back.
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