Conditioned Air Company of Naples, LLC Blog: Posts Tagged ‘ductless air conditioner’

Ductless Heating And Cooling: A Handy Reference

Tuesday, March 28th, 2017

In a conventional HVAC system, as much as 30 percent of the energy used for heating and cooling is wasted, due to leaking or inadequately-insulated ductwork. A better alternative, especially for homes without an existing HVAC system, may be a ductless heating and cooling system. By placing the air handler directly in the room to be heated or cooled, and eliminating the air ducts, a ductless heating and cooling system can be far more efficient and easier to install. Before installing a ductless system, there are a few things to consider.

Installation Process

Ductless or mini split systems consist of an outdoor condenser and compressor unit, one or more interior air handlers that contain and air filter, evaporator and fan, plus a conduit that connects the two halves. The air handlers are available in a variety of styles, including floor-level, wall and ceiling-mounted models, and a conduit containing the refrigerant and electrical lines connects each air handler to the condenser through a small 3 to 4-inch opening in a wall or ceiling. Ductless systems require minimal remodeling to install, and are perfect for homes or additions that lack a complete cooling and heating system.

SEER and HSPF Ratings

SEER stands for seasonal energy efficiency ratio, and represents the amount of electricity used for a cooling season. Ductless systems typically have a SEER from 16 to 20 or more, with higher ratings indicting greater efficiency. The HSPF, or heating seasonal performance factor, measures the electricity used for a heating season, with average systems receiving ratings of 7 to 8, and high-efficiency models receiving an 8 or above. By investing in a more efficient system, you will reduce your long-term utility costs.

Single or Multiple-Zone Systems

Some ductless heating and cooling systems serve one room or area only, while larger systems have an upgraded condenser and typically up to 5 air handlers to provide whole-home heating and cooling with independent temperature controls for each zone.

To learn more about ductless heating and cooling systems, talk to our team at Conditioned Air, serving Southwest Florida, including the Sarasota and Ft. Myers areas.

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How Ductless Air Conditioning Systems Save Energy

Tuesday, December 27th, 2016

Thanks to their simple installation process, ductless air conditioning systems are a popular way to add air conditioning to a home that lacks it, or to a new addition. With their unique designs and lack of energy-wasting ductwork, they are also extremely efficient. Here is how ductless air conditioning systems save energy and reduce your cooling costs.

Lack of Air Ducts

Typical central air conditioning systems use a series of independent air ducts to distribute the cooled air to each room. Even the most efficiently designed, well-insulated ducts will allow the conditioned air to warm slightly before it reaches its destination. As ductwork ages, it loses even more efficiency, with joints that leak conditioned air and insulation that becomes less effective or deteriorates over time. In the average air conditioning system, 30 to 40 percent of the energy used for cooling is wasted as air travels through the ductwork and either warms up or leaks out.

Ductless air conditioning systems feature an interior air handler consisting of an evaporator coil, fan and air filter, which is mounted directly in the room that requires cooling. Mounted outside, the other half features a condenser and compressor in one enclosure, and the two halves are connected through a small opening in the wall that carries the refrigerant lines, electrical cables and other components. By eliminating the ductwork, ductless air conditioners use 30 to 40 percent less energy than a traditional air conditioning system.

Optional Zoning

With ductless air conditioning systems, one or more air handlers can be added to a single compressor unit, with one air handler in each room that requires a cooling system. The temperature can be adjusted independently at each air handler, allowing some rooms to be cooler than others, or enabling you to completely shut off the cooling system in an unoccupied room. Compared to cooling systems with a single zone, this can save a significant amount of energy.

To learn more about how ductless air conditioning systems save energy, talk to our cooling experts at Conditioned Air. We serve Southwest Florida, including Ft. Myers, Naples, Cape Coral, Sarasota & Bradenton.

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