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Serving the South Puget Sound and Western Washington Areas Since 1976

Serving the South Puget Sound and Southwest Washington Areas Since 1976

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Sunset Air Blog

What is a Ductless Mini Split Heating System?

Today’s most popular type of air conditioner used in America is central air, a whole-house “split” system made up of an indoor and outdoor unit. This type uses an extensive network of air ducts that move air throughout your home. But there are downsides to this type of system, which are principally concerned with energy loss. Ductwork can account for significant energy loss, especially when your air ducts run through unconditioned parts of your home, such as your attic. The rise of the ductless mini split heating system has given homeowners an alternative to duct-based systems. In today’s post, we’d like to review how they function.

So, what is a ductless mini split system? It uses the same principle of air conditioning as a conventional central air or heat pump. The outdoor unit is more or less the same. It comprises a compressor and a condenser. The compressor is the “engine” of the air conditioning unit, responsible as it is for pressurizing the refrigerant and heating it up to a high-temperature and high-pressure gas. This is then sent to the condenser coils for thermal dissipation.

The chief distinction between central air and ductless mini splits is the presence of ductwork, but how does the indoor air handler function without them? The indoor unit of a ductless system sits directly in the living space, often high on a wall or suspended from the ceiling. It connects to the outdoor unit by a group of electric, refrigerant, and drainage lines. It is relatively compact, and performs all of the operations that a standard air handler does. It is also near silent, so that it doesn’t disturb the living space.

Because of its lack of ductwork, a ductless mini split can have a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating far exceeding that of its conventional duct counterpart. It can also avoid many of the indoor air quality problems that ductwork is prone to.

Call Sunset Air today for professional ductless mini split heating system services in Olympia, WA.

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