How a Ductless Heat Pump Can Save You Money and Energy
Although not a new technology, ductless heat pumps are rapidly gaining popularity in the U.S., and why not?
Ductless heating and air conditioning systems can save 30-40 percent off the energy costs of a forced air system. They are the go-to choice for newly constructed houses and additions, as well as those houses with no existing ductwork and which rely upon radiator or electric baseboard heating. If this describes your home, here are some ways the ductless heat pump system can drive your energy costs down.
THE SAME UNIT DELIVERS BOTH HEATING AND COOLING
If you are in an older house with an old boiler delivering radiated heat, and you want to add energy efficient air conditioning, switching to a ductless heat pump system can kill two birds with one stone, bringing both cooling and heating in one system. An air conditioner works by transferring the heat from inside to outside. A heat pump is an energy-saving air conditioner that simply reverses the flow of refrigerant. Combining the functions means one less system to worry about, joining the best of both worlds to create one of the best heating and air conditioning systems on the market today. And newer hyper-heating systems provide reliable heat even when it’s below freezing outside.
DUCTLESS HEAT PUMPS ARE EASY TO INSTALL AND SIMPLE TO USE
A basic ductless cooling and heating system consists of two units, one indoors and one outdoors, which is why the system is often called a split-ductless system or mini split system. Together, they take up considerably less space than equivalent traditional home comfort systems.
The refrigerant lines deliver the heating and cooling energy to the space much more efficiently than air ducting can. Forced air systems lose as much as 30 percent of its energy pushing dense, cold air up big, wide ducts through an entire house. Ductless heat pump systems in turn rely on thin refrigerant piping to deliver the heating and cooling energy to compact indoor units delivering air to the space much more easily, allowing you to save on energy.
SAVE ON ENERGY WITH ZONE-BASED COOLING AND HEATING
Split-ductless systems and mini split systems can use up to eight separate indoor air-handling units for each outdoor unit. In this way, you can have eight separate rooms or zones, each with its own controller. You can save a lot of money and energy by sending less heat into lesser-used areas of your home. For larger homes, you might consider purchasing two ductless multi-room outdoor units in order to boost your indoor cooling and heating to the entire house. The extra costs will be more than compensated for through eventual energy savings, as well as giving you green heating and cooling which will reduce the carbon imprint on the earth.
THE “GREENER” THE HOUSE, THE BETTER THE SAVINGS
Green heating and cooling helps save on energy, but in order to maximize your savings, you want to secure your building “envelope”. You need to make sure you have adequate insulation, and that all window, door and attic air leaks are sealed. It wouldn’t make much sense to purchase and install a new heating and air conditioning system, only to have the energy savings it brings go seeping out of your house. This is especially true in colder climates, where the ductless heat pump needs to work harder to maintain heat in the winter.
If you’re smart enough to use this modern technology, you need to be smart enough to keep your house as environmentally sound as possible in order to get the most out of it. The best part is you won't have to sacrifice having one of the best heating and air conditioning systems on the market to have a green heating and cooling system.
SOURCES:
ENERGY.gov: Ductless, Mini-Split Heat Pumps
Building Green: 7 Tips to Get More from Mini-Split Heat Pumps in Colder Climates
This article and its content are sponsored by Mitsubishi Electric US Inc., Cooling & Heating Division.
