Benefits of Ductless Heat Pumps

Ductless Heat Pumps are a Modern and Efficient Source of Climate Control

Thinking about switching over to ductless heat pumps for your home’s heating & cooling? 

Living on the West Coast, we’re lucky enough to enjoy moderate temperatures throughout most of the year.

That doesn’t mean we’re not susceptible to extreme temperatures during the summer and winter, however. If these past couple of years are any sign of things to come, you’ll want to make sure your home or building can maintain a comfortable temperature.

Unless your home or building is newer or you’ve already upgraded your heating and cooling system, you most likely have a traditional furnace with older ductwork installed throughout. According to Energy.gov, “existing duct systems often suffer from design deficiencies in the return air system, and modifications by the homeowner (or just a tendency to keep doors closed) may contribute to these problems.” 

If the supply ducts are leaking, not properly insulated or have issues with the initial design, you could be overpaying to heat and cool your home. 

If properly designed and installed, balanced ventilation systems will not pressurize or depressurize your house. They are able to bring in and exhaust roughly equal amounts of fresh outside air and polluted inside air.

Modern ductless heat pumps can help prevent energy loss that’s associated with the ductwork of central forced air systems.

What Are Ductless Heat pumps?

A ductless heat pump is also called a mini-split or ductless split because it is made up of two parts. One unit acts as the outdoor compressor and the other unit handles indoor air.

Basically, a ductless heat pump delivers heat based on zones, not on where registers and venting are placed throughout the home. There are a lot of myths about ductless split style heat pumps out there, so be sure to your research before making a decision.

A ductless heat pump consists of a small outdoor unit (the compressor) and one or more individual indoor units. The amount of indoor units depends entirely on the size and footprint of your home or commercial building. 

These smaller indoor units can also be easily installed everywhere in your home or building, making them very convenient for more compact spaces, condos, suites and more. 

Ductless split heat pumps come in four designs: floor mounted, wall-mounted, slim duct and cassette. 

Ductless heat pumps also work very well when you need to build additions to your home such as basement build-outs, new construction, or if you’re retrofitting an existing home.

How Do Ductless Heat Pumps Work?

Traditional HVAC compressors consume a lot of energy during compressor start-up. Unlike a traditional HVAC compressor, ductless heat pumps feature inverter-driven compressors. Ductless heat pumps speed up or slow down based on the needs of the system, instead of shutting off completely. 

A conduit houses the power cable, refrigerant, tubing, suction tubing, and condensate drain. This conduit links the outdoor compressor unit and indoor unit. 

As mentioned, the small size provides good flexibility for zoning, heating and cooling and in most cases,  it’s quick and easy to install. Regardless of how many units you need, each zone has its own thermostat, so you only need to heat or cool the occupied space. 

This will help reduce energy costs since you’re not heating or cooling a small bathroom or unoccupied guest bedroom, etc. You can close the vents to these spaces, but a traditional vented system will still be working harder to push heated or cooled air through the entirety of the ducting.

Ductless Heat Pumps are Designed for Quick Installation

Professional installation is recommended because proper system sizing and installation are important in order to receive the full benefits of a ductless system. 

Ductless heat pumps can make a great retrofit add-on to homes and buildings that already have non-ducted heating systems. These include: hydronic (hot water and heat), radiant panels, and space heaters (wood, kerosene, or propane.)

Depending on the home or building, the hook-up between the outdoor and indoor units typically requires only a three-inch hole through a wall for the conduit. 

Another benefit of ductless heat pumps is that most manufacturers of this type of system can provide a wide variety of lengths for connecting conduits. 

This makes it an excellent choice for room additions where extending or installing ductwork isn’t desirable or feasible.

You can also install the outdoor unit as far away as 50 feet from the indoor evaporator. This makes it possible to cool and heat rooms on the front side of the house, but locate the compressor in a more protected or desired place outside of your home or building. 

This is the best option for new homes that only require a small space conditioning system. 

Why Install Ductless Heat Pumps?

• Savings in utility costs and increased energy efficiency

Ductless heat pumps operate on less power compared to other heating systems. This is due to its much smaller size. Multi-split systems allow you to heat or cool specific zones in your home or building, reducing monthly electric bills. 

While installation is typically more costly compared to traditional systems, the energy savings can far outweigh the initial cost. 

Ductless heat pumps exceed Energy Star guidelines and are much more energy-efficient than traditional systems.

• Flexible installation

Ductless heat pumps don’t require extensive construction within your home or building. You don’t have to retrofit them into an existing system either.

To install a multi-split system, a 3-inch hole for small connecting pipes is all that you need. These can easily compensate for any room size or additions you may need in the future. 

• Improvement of air quality

Dust, allergens, chemicals, and fumes can be an issue within circulated air via ductwork and registers. Over time, small particles can build up within the ductwork, creating an unhealthy living space.

Ductless heat pumps avoid that problem. 

• Eco-friendly refrigerant

Ductless heat pumps are made with a refrigerant called R410A, which has a zero ozone depletion potential. This means it’s one of the cleanest systems that you can operate for the environment. 

Keep Your Living Space A Comfortable Temperature, Always.

In an average home or building, you could lose up to 30% of your energy to outdated ductwork. 

By simply removing ducts and using ductless heat pumps instead, you could end up with a much more efficient heating and cooling system. All you need to do is keep up with simple maintenance and your ductless heat pumps will work quietly and efficiently for many years to come.

At Lockhart Industries, we’ve been proudly serving our residential and commercial customers since 1981! Whether you’re too hot, too cold, need to upgrade an old heat pump, or have questions about eco-friendly solutions, our team of dedicated professionals can help you find the perfect system for your home or building. To learn more about ductless heat pumps and the many rebates available, please contact us for expert service in South Vancouver Island. Call (250) 748-1731 or request an estimate today.