Each summer as the temperatures rise in Chesapeake, VA, our customers ask us what the best way to cool down their home is. Of course you want to keep your family comfortable in your home, but is a central air conditioning unit always the most efficient way to go?
Of the many advancements in heating and cooling in recent years, we have found that the ductless mini-split, otherwise known as the mini-split heat pump, is a great alternative option for cooling your home efficiently in the summer, as well as heating it in the winter. Let’s take a closer look at how you can keep cool this summer without the bulky ductwork and inefficiencies of a central air conditioning system.
A ductless mini-split heat pump is comprised of an outdoor pump unit and an indoor wall unit. The two are connected without traditional ducting, so installation is much easier and less time consuming than with a central AC unit. Mini-splits are designed to affect the temperature in their immediate area, so they are great for conditioning one to two rooms.
Another benefit to using mini-splits is that they work both for heating and cooling. They can keep you not only cool in the summer, but also warm and cozy in the winter. A central air conditioning unit can sit dormant during the colder months, while your furnace takes over. This means having to maintain multiple systems throughout the year.
A central AC system covers the cooling for an entire house, which can be cumbersome and wasteful. This means picking one temperature, and potentially cooling rooms that are not even in use. Additionally, faulty ductwork can mean that you lose efficiency as the cold air is distributed to each room.
As we mentioned before, a mini-split is easier to install since it involves no ductwork, and it only conditions the room it is in. This means you may need to have more than one mini-split installed to cover the whole house, but once installed a mini-split is much more efficient than a central system, saving you money each month on your energy bill.
Central AC | Mini-Split | |
Heating and Cooling | Offers cooling only | Offers both cooling and heating |
Areas Conditioned | Cools the entire house, including rooms which may not be in use | Cools a particular room or area for more focused cooling |
Ductwork | Requires ductwork, which could be faulty or leaky | Eliminates the need for ductwork |
Installation | More complicated, as it involves ductwork | Simpler, as no ductwork is involved |
Efficiency & Savings | With the right unit, can be an efficient option that keeps energy bills down | The most energy efficient option for lower energy bills |
If you already have a central air conditioning system, a mini-split may be a great addition to help that hard-to-cool room (like that “front room over garage”, or FROG as we affectionately call it.) Or, maybe it’s time to ditch your failing air conditioner and move to an efficient mini-split system. Russell’s Heating and Cooling can get you the right system to keep your home comfortable and efficient, regardless of what the Virginia weather brings.