There have been a number of advancements in the heating and cooling industry in recent years, many of which have changed the way we look at how indoor air is conditioned. Mini Split Heat pumps are perhaps the most popular and effective examples of what modern HVAC equipment is capable of, and they’re being embraced by more and more people each year. These units pull from either the ground or outside air to heat and cool the home accurately and precisely, greatly enhancing home energy efficiency.
Why correctly sizing a heat pump matters?
Because of the unique way they work, sizing a heat pump is one of the most important parts of the installation process. But many homeowners, and even experienced installers, don’t get it right. Incorrectly sizing a heat pump comes with some major problems.
Take a moment to consider what would happen if you were to put a window unit air conditioner inside of a cathedral. You could run it at its highest capacity, yet it would never touch the actual temperature of the room. The same can be said for heat pumps when applied to rooms within your home. If a heat pump is undersized for a room, the negative effects can become quite obvious, fast. It’s simply not going to adequately heat or cool the room it’s in, and it will certainly work harder than it should in order to do so. Naturally, this can lead to a host of mechanical problems over time.
The Problem with Undersizing
Undersize your ductless heat pump and it will struggle to keep your home warm on the coldest days. If you have backup electric resistance heat, also referred to as heating strips, your home will stay warm, but you could spend a fortune on electricity. Though, make no mistake: a properly sized heat pump definitely works in cold climates.
The Problem with Oversizing
Most heat pumps have variable speed motors, meaning they adjust how much heating or cooling they provide based on the temperature outside. Rather than kicking on and off constantly, variable speed mini split heat pumps can provide a steady comfortable temperature. But if you oversize your unit, even a variable speed model will kick on and off frequently, as its lowest speed might still overheat your home.
Issues with Oversized Ductless Heat Pumps
Problems can also exist if the mini split heat pump is oversized. Common complaints include significant fluctuations in temperature, as well as a lack of adequate heating throughout certain parts of the home. This typically occurs as a result of oversized units creating more hot or cool air than is necessary, pushing into the house too quickly and near-instantly cooling the area surrounding the thermostat and shutting down the cycle before other parts of the home are conditioned. Because of this, the system isn’t able to run long enough to remove the right amount of humidity from the air, which results in clamminess during the summer months.
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