You have every reason to want your Nashua home to be as comfortable as possible. You keep it warm during the winter and rely on your air conditioning system to keep your home cool and comfortable during the hot New Hampshire summer months. Central air conditioning and mini-splits are two of your area's popular cooling options. Which system is best for your home's cooling needs?
Similarities and Differences With Central Air and Mini-Split
Central air conditioning and mini-splits use the same principles for transferring heat from inside your home to outside. They are different in how they are installed, how you set them up, and how each unit delivers conditioned air to your home. If you want to cool your entire home and keep it all at the same temperature, then central air conditioning with a network of ducts that travel through your home may be your best bet. However, if you want to have the option to cool your entire home or focus cooling on just one or two areas, ductless mini-split systems may be the right option for you. Many homeowners and business owners use ductless systems in conjunction with a central air conditioning unit if they have added on an additional room to their home or office or if they’ve converted a space that previously did not have air conditioning into an area that now needs it. This way, they can enjoy the benefits of cool air without the hassle and expense of running ductwork and possibly changing their AC unit to a larger unit to accommodate the added cooled space. There are several other factors to consider when choosing between central air and a ductless mini-split unit. If you’re looking to install air conditioning for the first time or extend your AC unit to encompass a newly added part of your home, Proactive Comfort’s technicians stand ready to help you. We are experts in the field and always look forward to assisting Nashua residents in keeping their homes comfortable and cool during the summer.
What Is a Ductless Mini-split?
Like standard central air conditioning units, ductless mini-splits have a condenser and an evaporator unit. One part of the unit is installed outside of your home, and the other part of the unit is installed inside. Ductless mini-splits use a refrigerant that circulates through the system. The refrigerant absorbs the heat, and the humidity from inside your home travels through copper tubing to the outdoor unit and releases the heat. The significant difference between a central air system and a ductless mini-split system is that with a central air system, one indoor unit provides cooling for the entire home. With a ductless mini-split, one indoor unit is usually mounted on the wall of each room or area that needs to be cooled. Each indoor unit has a fan that pushes cold air into the living space. There is no ductwork. Ductless mini-splits can be used to heat your home as well. This is done following the same principles used to cool your home, only in reverse. At Proactive Comfort, we have helped many of our clients install a more efficient HVAC system using ductless units, and we would be happy to talk to you about using these options in your home.
The Pros and Cons of a Ductless Mini-Split
Ductless mini-splits have several advantages and a few disadvantages over traditional central air conditioning. They are the perfect option if you have converted an unused space into a living area. They work great in older homes that don’t have ductwork. Ductless units are the ideal option for providing zoned cooling for individual rooms. A ductless mini-split is energy efficient because you can select to cool only the room or areas you are currently using. The installation process doesn’t require major construction. You only need to put a small hole in the wall to run the refrigerant piping and electrical wires. Since ductless units are so efficient, you save on your energy bill. You only pay to cool the areas you need to cool as opposed to cooling the entire home. Installation is flexible. You can run long refrigerant lines to small indoor and outdoor units. This means you can install a system where you want it, even if the space in your home is limited. There are some downsides to ductless mini-split systems. Compared to central air conditioning, they have a more visible footprint because evaporator units are installed in each room that needs cooling. The initial upfront cost of installing ductless mini-splits to cool your entire house can be expensive compared to installing central air conditioning where there is existing ductwork. Additionally, ductless mini-split systems do not filter the air as well as central air conditioning units. A central air conditioning unit can circulate the air within your home, constantly passing it through a filter that gives you better indoor air quality control. However, looking at the pros and the cons, many people feel that mini-splits are worth the expense. They have a tremendous long-term ROI. Over time, they will save you money on energy bills because they are an effective way to cool and heat your home.
What Is a Central Air Conditioning System
A ducted HVAC system is what most people think about when they picture whole-house air conditioning. Central air conditioning systems have an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The indoor unit has a blower fan that can distribute cool air throughout the home via ductwork within the walls, ceilings, or floor. Central air uses the same system of circulating refrigerant between indoor and outdoor units to transfer heat from inside the home to outside.
The Pros and Cons of Central Air
There is a reason why most homes have forced air HVAC systems. They offer a less intrusive installation, especially if your home already has ductwork. You only need one outdoor unit and one indoor unit for the entire house as opposed to indoor units in each room with a ductless system. Central air conditioning is more convenient because you can cool your entire home using a single thermostat with the flip of a switch. Central air conditioning offers improved air quality because it does a better job at removing particulates out of the air and even allowing you to recycle the air within your home. The downside of central air is the cost of installing ductwork, if there is not already ductwork in the home, and the loss of energy efficiency. If you are evaluating the pros and cons of central air conditioning versus ductless, an excellent way to get accurate information is to talk to Proactive Comfort’s technicians. We can evaluate your home and provide detailed information about unique air conditioning products designed to make your home as comfortable as possible.
Trusted Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing in Nashua
The experts at Proactive Comfort are here to help you when you need reliable HVAC and plumbing services. We value our customers and are committed to putting you first and giving you the best service at all times. Our services include AC repair and replacement, furnace repair and replacement, and plumbing repairs, maintenance, and installation. Call the friendly team at Proactive Comfort today and tell us what we can do to help you.