HVAC Showdown: Ductless Mini-Split or Central Air?

Deciding what to do when a heating or cooling unit needs repairs can be difficult. Not so much because you may make the wrong choice, but more so because there truly isn’t a wrong choice. Whichever option you go with, you’re going to have a functioning source of cooling and heating for your home.

But which is the right choice for you?

When deciding to replace our current HVAC unit, the most common decision is between a traditional central air system, or having a ductless mini-split system installed. While both have countless different advantages for your home, which advantages mean the most to you and your property will be the key to finding the correct answer.

The Perks of a Ductless Mini-Split System

Commonly referred to as a mini-split system, or just mini-split, a ductless mini-split is a cooling and heating system designed for precision temperature control in a given room. A typical mini-split has one outdoor unit that connects to several indoor units. These indoor control units are mounted on the walls of select rooms in your house and then connected to the outdoor unit by a power cable and refrigerant tube.

Each indoor control unit it is designed with its own thermostat, which allows you to control the temperature of a specific room rather than having to try and heat or cool the entirety of your home at once. Here are some of the other key features of a ductless mini-split system, and why it might be the perfect fit for heating or cooling your property:

• Energy Efficiency at its “Coolest” – With some of the most advanced technology in the heating and cooling business, a ductless mini-split operates at a high level of energy efficiency. Besides already converting a high voltage so that it can run at a low voltage instead, a mini-split system also utilizes a low-speed compressor, which allows you to set your system to different levels of intensity. This is in contrast to most central air systems that at most offer high and low settings, and require you to turn the system off and on far more often to maintain temperature.
• Room-Specific Temperature Control – A ductless mini-split also allows you to heat or cool the room you are currently in specifically. This precise control helps you save power and energy from having to maintain the temperature of entire property. For a larger homes or a house where one room is commonly used at a time, this can be a significant cost saver.
• Duct-Free Temperature Control – While obviously part of the name of this system, understanding what ductless means for you and your home can often be the decision maker. Ductless systems do not rely on ducts, which means that there are no leaks, no places to lose energy, and no major renovation expenses as you try to replace all of your ductwork.

The cost of a ductless mini split can also vary, and in some cases it may be less than a replacement HVAC system, while in other cases it can be more. It depends largely on how many rooms you need to cover and the replacement that you need completed in your home (for example, a new AC or a new entire HVAC system).

Yet, even in situations where it does cost more to install this system, many customers will save money over time, potentially making up the difference.

The Benefits of Central Air Heating and Air Conditioning

As opposed to the new ductless systems available, a central air HVAC system moves warm or cool air through the ductwork of your house to make your home more comfortable. On paper, this is the simpler form of heating or cooling, but it is worth taking the time to note the different components that work together to make a central air system more effective at controlling the temperature of your property:

• Great Reach Around Your Home – When heating or cooling a home that needs a consistent temperature maintained throughout the property, there is no better option than a ducted system. The air that passes through the ducts of your house will be able to keep a standard warm or cool atmosphere better than attempting to run several ductless systems from separate rooms.
• Better Air Quality Integration – When it comes to upgrading a heating or cooling system with filtration options, there are going to be numerous air quality products for a ducted central air system. These will also be much easier to integrate into your home then with a ductless option. Some of these filtration options include air purifiers, dehumidifiers, or humidifiers, depending upon the needs of the home’s air quality. Air quality upgrades also can also help your air conditioning unit not work as hard, which in turn will save you money on long-term energy bills.
• More Affordable Installation Cost – Often if you’re looking to repair or replace an already existing heating or cooling system, your home will already have ducts installed. If this is the case, a central air system is going to be less expensive to install than a ductless mini-split system. This of course depends on the preexisting infrastructure of your house, but asking about initial installation costs can be a great way to help make a decision.

The cost to replace just an AC or just a heating unit can be quite different than replacing an entire HVAC system top to bottom, especially if you are including ductwork. Thus, in many cases, this type of replacement is less expensive, but in some situations it may be a lot more.

Also, this type of heating and cooling is less efficient, both raising energy costs and making it more difficult to maintain a specific temperature in a room. But it is also much easier to manage, as all you need do is operate a single thermostat to make the whole home a close to specific temperature.

Your Choice Will Always be the Right Choice

If you have a large house where every room is rarely utilized completely, then maybe a mini-split system that allows you to keep a handful of rooms comfortable is better for you in the long run. But if you have a lot of coming and going, or only a specific component of the HVAC needs to be repalced, then it may be better to have a central air system installed so that your house is as comfortable as possible at all times.

Sometimes the decision may even end up being both systems, as there may be times that you want the heat the entirety of your house, and other days where you only need your living room or office to be at a comfortable temperature. Looking at all these factors and deciding what offers the most benefit for you and your home is going to be the key to your decision-making process.