Ductless Split Myths

Myths About Ductless Mini Split HVAC Systems

With summer starting to hit full force, outdoor temperatures are becoming uncomfortably hot. Without some kind of air conditioning inside the home, temperatures there can get pretty uncomfortable too.

If your home isn’t already blessed with central air conditioning, you may be looking at ductless HVAC systems (aka heat pumps) as one of the options for controlling the temperature and air quality in your living space. As a helpful home technology, heat pumps can offer you years of comfort but, like any home technology, its surrounded by a lot of misinformation.

6 Common Myths About Ductless Heating and Cooling Systems

Myth #1: Ductless HVAC Systems Don’t Filter the Air

Ductless systems are also known as mini splits. There’s a common misconception that, because mini splits lack ducts (thus implying that they can’t have filters), installing them in your home will only lead to poorer air quality. This is not true. Ductless HVAC systems have built in air filtration that is capable of collecting airborne particles and pollutants, thus preventing them from spreading throughout your home. These highly efficient systems are often better at filtering out air impurities than traditional systems and some or even equipped with a Titanium Apatite Photocataytic air purifying filter.

Myth #2: Ductless HVAC is Only for New Homes

A common myth surrounding ductless HVAC is that they can’t be installed in older homes. While ductless HVAC systems are a fantastic option for a new home, there is absolutely no reason not to install them in an older building. Because they are compact and energy efficient, installing a mini split is a great way of modernizing an older building. Mini splits are easy for a certified technician to install, no matter the age of the building, since they take up little space indoors and only utilize narrow conduits.

Myth #3: You Can Install Ductless HVACs Yourself

While the installation of ductless HVAC systems is relatively easy for a certified technician, it is still something that should be done by someone with professional training instead of the average homeowner. By installing it yourself, besides breaking the law on Ozone Depleting Substances, you risk damaging the system, potentially leading to higher utility bills and a much shorter lifespan for your unit. In addition, if you install an HVAC unit yourself, you won’t be able to apply for any of the heat pump rebates that are available since one of the conditions is that the unit is installed by a certified HVAC technician.

Myth #4: Ductless HVAC Systems Put a Hole in Your Wall

While its true that older ductless HVAC systems required a fairly large hole to be knocked into the wall to accommodate their all-in-one unit style, modern ductless HVACs have been developed to be smaller and more efficient. While the older units were comprised of one big bulky unit, newer ones are split into an outdoor unit and an indoor one, with narrow conduits joining the two. Thus, today’s ductless HVACs only require a small modification to your home.

Myth #5: Heat Pumps are Noisy

In the past, ductless HVAC systems (where all the components were housed in one unit) were pretty loud. They produced a level of noise that made it hard to ignore. As HVAC technology advanced over the years, systems became quieter and more efficient. Today, the average ductless HVAC unit produces a level of sound that is only marginally greater than the sound of air being forced through a vent. But since the main unit is housed outside the home, even this small sound often goes unheard.

Myth #6: Heat Pumps are Inefficient

Older ductless HVAC systems did not enjoy the efficient functionality that modern systems do. They took a long time to cool the air and, as they got older, their ability to do the job got worse. Modern HVAC systems can cool spaces ranging from a small room to a large living area in a matter of minutes, and they can maintain their efficiency for a long time.

An important note here is that, although we’ve only been talking about the cooling aspect of mini split systems, the same unit actually takes care of both heating and cooling your home. For this reason alone, split system HVAC units are head and shoulders above many of the older technologies that require a separate system for cooling and one for heating.

Technology evolves over the years, with new research and new adaptations that improve overall functionality. Ductless heating and cooling systems are no different. While older systems may well be loud, intrusive and inefficient, modern ductless HVAC systems have evolved to be convenient, subtle, efficient and eco-friendly.

If you’re ready to take advantage of the awesome rebates that are available to BC residents when they install a new heat pump, give the professionals at Lockhart a call at (250) 748-1731.