Ductless air conditioners work just like central air conditioners except they don’t have ducts.
Unlike a central AC system, a ductless AC system has an indoor unit that is located directly in the room it’s cooling (removing the need for ducts).
Because ductless AC systems don’t have ducts, an indoor unit needs to be installed in every room you want cooled (you can install 8 indoor units to 1 outdoor unit).
In this article, we’ll explain:
- The details of how a ductless AC system works
- Why homeowners would choose a ductless AC system
The details of how a ductless AC system works
A ductless AC system works with three main components: the indoor unit, the outdoor unit and refrigerant lines.
1) Indoor Unit: The indoor unit is where heat is extracted from your home’s air and absorbed by the refrigerant.
2) Refrigerant Lines: Refrigerant lines transfer heat either out of your home (in cooling mode) or into your home (in heating mode).
3) Outdoor Unit: The outdoor unit is where refrigerant travels and dumps the heat from your home’s air, outside.
Here’s how it works:
- Air from your home is blown over cool evaporator coils located in the indoor AC unit.
- The refrigerant in the evaporator coils absorbs heat from the air in your home and travels to the outdoor unit.
- The fan in the inside unit blows the (now cold) air back into your home, as cool, conditioned air.
- When the refrigerant gets to the outside unit, it dumps the heat outside and circles back to your indoor unit to pick up more warm air.
Why would a homeowner choose to install a ductless AC system?
There are a variety of reasons a homeowner may choose to install a ductless system in their home. Some common reasons include:
1. Easier/cheaper installation for room or areas without ductwork
Adding ductwork to your home can cost up to $5,000 (in addition to the installation cost and the cost of the AC system).
So, for areas of your home that don’t have ductwork, like rooms that have been recently added or spaces like a garage, a ductless AC system is usually a less expensive option.
2. Can both heat and cool your home
Ductless AC systems can both heat and cool your home. When cooling your home, a ductless AC system works like we’ve described above, by taking the heat out of your indoor air and dumping it outside. In heating mode, a ductless AC system extracts warmth from the air outside and brings it into your home.
3. More energy-efficient
Central AC systems can lose 20-30 percent of the conditioned air they produce because of leaks, holes and poor connections between ducts. Since ductless AC systems don’t have ducts, they can’t lose conditioned air like central AC systems can, making ductless AC systems more efficient.
4. Built-in zoning
Indoor ductless AC units cool one room or area at a time, which means they have built-in zoning.
With a ductless AC system, you can cool different rooms at different temperatures (since every room has its own indoor unit).
Ready to install a ductless AC system? Hire a NJ expert!
Before we install a ductless AC system, we take the time to evaluate your home and cooling needs, so you can rest assured that you’re getting the best system for your home.