Here in Massachusetts, central HVAC systems dominate the residential market. In most cases, this includes a ducted furnace and central air conditioning combination. If you were to ask the average homeowner, most would tell you there’s no more efficient option to heat and cool their home.
That said, would it surprise you to know that other people rely on a totally different type of HVAC system for residential heating and cooling? This alternative system comes with a plethora of benefits you don’t get from a conventional HVAC system. This is the case when it comes to ductless heat pump systems. Here are the benefits of ductless mini-splits for homeowners throughout Massachusetts, whether in Newton, Cambridge, Framingham, Concord, Milton or other towns.
Excellent Energy Efficiency
The most important benefit of ductless mini-splits is their extraordinarily high energy efficiency, especially when used for heating. Under ideal conditions, this makes these heat pump systems capable of operating at up to 400% efficiency. By contrast, the best gas furnace you can buy only operates at 98.5% efficiency. The average gas furnace only reaches 80% efficiency. In cooling mode, mini-splits have an average SEER rating of 20 or above. That would make the average mini-split as efficient as a better-than-average central air conditioner.
Another efficiency advantage of mini-splits is that they don’t rely on ducts to carry conditioned air throughout your home. Instead, these closed loop systems rely on individual indoor units (wall mounted ductless mini-splits, floor ductless mini-splits, and ceiling cassettes) in each room they serve. That’s a big deal because the average ducted HVAC system can waste up to 30% of the energy it consumes through ductwork losses. By eliminating the use of ductwork, mini-splits can’t experience those losses, and you won’t have to worry about maintaining ductwork to prevent issues.
Zoned Heating and Cooling
If you’re used to conventional ducted HVAC systems, you’ve probably experienced one of their primary downsides: uneven heating and cooling. In most homes, the rooms closest to the central blower unit receive more hot and cold air than rooms at the far ends of the duct network. Although HVAC installers do what they can to balance the airflow, it isn’t unusual for homes to have temperatures that vary from room to room.
Ductless mini-splits don’t have the same problem. Since each room has an indoor mini-split unit, it offers zoned heating and cooling by default. This means you can set the temperature you want (assuming in the same operational mode) in each room and expect the room to reach that temperature. You can even turn off the wall mounted, floor units, or ceiling cassettes in rooms you’re not using, so you don’t waste money heating and cooling unused spaces.
Simplified Installation
Ductless mini-splits are also easy to install. When you replace a conventional ducted HVAC system with another one, the installer may need to make alterations to the ductwork connections near the system’s indoor unit. Plus, the size and air capacity of your home’s ductwork limit the types and sizes of HVAC systems you can reasonably install. With a ductless mini-split, you don’t have to worry about any of that.
To install a ductless mini-split system, our HVAC installers simply need to mount each indoor unit in the right location and drill a small hole behind each mounting plate. This hole is all that’s needed to connect the necessary refrigerant and electrical lines to link the indoor wall units, floor units, or ceiling cassettes with the system’s outdoor unit.
Multiple Indoor Unit Options
Mini-splits also come with multiple options for indoor units. This allows you to customize the installation of your system to meet your specific comfort and aesthetic needs. There are standard wall mounted units, which are typically sleek units mounted high on each room’s wall. Or, you could choose ceiling cassettes, which get recessed in the ceiling of each room. This option provides 360-degree airflow. There are also indoor units that are meant for low-wall mounting. You can mix and match indoor unit types with the use of most ductless mini-split systems.
Improved Indoor Air Quality
The use of individual indoor minisplit units also helps ductless mini-splits support healthy indoor air quality. One reason for this is that each mini-split indoor unit has its own dedicated air filter that needs to be changed routinely. That means a mini-split system will have multiple indoor units in total, whereas a traditional ducted system only has one. Plus, with no ductwork involved, mini-splits don’t move pollutants from one part of your home to another. In a ducted system, dust and dirt end up trapped in the ductwork, where they continue to circulate through your home. As a result, the average home’s ductwork will need professional cleaning roughly every three years. With a mini-split, you have direct access to all air-carrying components, so you can keep them clean yourself.
Easy Expandability
Another advantage that ductless mini-split systems have over conventional ducted central HVAC systems is that they’re easily expandable. There are ductless mini-split systems that can support up to eight indoor units. However, you can purchase a smaller mini-split system and still have the option of expanding upon it later. Since ductless mini-splits don’t take up much space, you can always install a second or third unit to cover additional parts of your home long after you install your initial system. With conventional ducted HVAC, you’re forever limited by the extent of your ductwork and the capacity of your system. Installing a second ducted system would take up too much space in the typical home, making that a poor expansion option.
Available Rebates
Finally, since ductless mini-splits are energy efficient and use heat pump technology, they qualify for a variety of rebates and tax credits that could substantially lower your installation costs. As a part of the recent Inflation Reduction Act, you could qualify for a tax credit worth up to 30% of the cost of a new heat pump mini-split, up to a maximum of $2,000. Plus, rebate program that can give you up to an $8,000 discount on a new heat pump mini-split, depending on your income. Our experts can even help you figure out which credits and rebates you qualify for to maximize your savings.
Your Ductless Mini-Split Specialists
If you like what you’ve just read about ductless mini-split HVAC systems, Endless Energy can help. Since 1980, we’ve served the residents of Marlborough, offering quality HVAC installation, maintenance, and repair services. We’re a family-run company that prioritizes helping homeowners save money on their energy bills through improved efficiency. That’s why we even offer home energy assessments to help you decide on the right upgrades that will save you money. We’re a Better Business Bureau-accredited company with an A+ rating, so you can trust us to give you the finest workmanship and customer service in all we do. If you need help budgeting for your new ductless mini-split HVAC, we also offer financing options on approved credit to make things easy for you.
If you’re interested in having a ductless mini-split HVAC system installed in your Marlborough home, contact our team at Endless Energy to schedule an appointment.
