Ductless mini splits are among the most energy-efficient heating and cooling systems out there today. While the upfront price is more than what conventional HVAC costs, you’ll make up for it with lower energy bills in the years to come. Ductless heating and cooling systems can save 30–40 percent off the energy costs of a forced air system. They are the go-to choice for newly constructed houses and additions, as well as those houses with no existing ductwork and which rely upon radiator or electric baseboard heating. If this describes your home, here are some ways the ductless heat pump system can drive your energy costs down.
Inverter Technology
Think of inverter technology like cruise control on your car, but for your heating and cooling. You know how you use less gas on the highway than in the city? That’s because you’re not stopping and starting. You’re cruising, and the car makes slight adjustments as needed to maintain that steady speed. That’s what an inverter, or a variable-speed motor, does for your HVAC system. Traditional one-speed furnaces and central air motors can only turn on and shut off.
As a result, they have to “course-correct” when the temperature drifts away from your thermostat setting. That uses energy to start up and more power to move the needle by a few degrees. It’ll do this a few times every hour. With an inverter, your mini split kicks on at full power to get to your desired temperature. Then, it goes into low-power mode to maintain that setting. It’s not using a lot of energy to stop and start. And, overall, it needs less electricity to keep the temperature steady.
Heat Transfer Vs. Generating Heat
The most significant difference here is in the winter because you’re not generating heat. Instead, the system is only moving it from one place to another. That eliminates burning fossil fuels or using electricity to create heat. The transferring process is much less intensive. All air conditioners use a heat transfer process. They pull warm air from the room, remove the heat, and send the cooled air back into the room. But, if you’ve ever heard a mini split get referred to as a “reverse air conditioner,” it’s because they use the same process in the winter. Here’s what happens: There’s always heat outside, even when you’re so cold you need a jacket. The heat pump gathers that warmth or thermal energy. Then, it amplifies that heat and sends it into the house.
Zoned HVAC With Multiple Thermostats
Finally, you get “zoned” HVAC — and more control — with a mini split. Every handler has a built-in thermostat. That makes every room or part of the house a different “zone” for your heating and cooling. Each one works independently. This setup eliminates common situations where people turn the thermostat up a few extra degrees because there’s that one room that’s always too cold. Or when they crank up the AC because the bedrooms are too hot. Instead, each zone gets its own regulation. You don’t pay more to make your first floor extra cold just so that the bedrooms aren’t too hot. This way, the air handlers on the first floor go to low-power mode sooner than the ones upstairs.
Higher SEER Ratings
The SEER, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, determines how efficiently a system operates. Ductless mini-splits have a significantly higher SEER rating, which means that they will consume less energy and save a substantial amount of money. Systems with high ratings also indicate that they are equipped with advanced features, less prone to breakdowns, require less maintenance, and lower emission of greenhouse gases.
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