Can you spare a moment to talk about a mini split for your home?
(StatePoint)Does your bedroom stay hot while the rest of the house feels comfortable? Is your finished basement too cold to enjoy during the winter?
Such temperature differences are common in older homes, additions, and converted spaces not designed around the home’s original heating and cooling system. So ... what the solution? Could be you need a mini split.
What Is a Mini Split?
A mini split is a heating and cooling system designed to control the temperature in a specific room or area. Unlike central HVAC systems, it does not require ductwork. Instead, an indoor air-handling unit connects to an outdoor compressor, allowing the space to be heated or cooled independently from the rest of the home.
“Homeowners shouldn’t have to tolerate rooms that are perpetually drafty or overheated simply because extending traditional ductwork is too expensive or impractical,” said William Munger, customer service manager at Keystone home comfort products. “Mini splits provide heating and cooling right where it’s needed, giving families more precise control over the comfort of individual rooms.”
How Mini Splits Work
Mini splits use heat pump technology to provide both heating and cooling. Rather than generating heat or cold, the system moves heat outside to cool a room and brings heat inside when warming up a space. Inverter technology continuously adjusts the system’s output based on the room’s needs, helping maintain a consistent temperature and reducing unnecessary energy use, while also offering quiet operation.
Depending on the model, a mini split can perform in outdoor temperatures ranging from approximately -3 degrees to 127 degrees F.
Today’s systems also offer added features, such as dehumidifying and fan-only modes, with programmable schedules and sleep settings. Users can adjust the temperature and other settings with the included remote or through Wi-Fi via app and voice controls.
Where Do Mini Splits Work Best?
Mini splits can be useful in additions, finished basements, converted garages, workshops, home offices and older homes without existing ductwork. They may also help in rooms affected by high ceilings, large windows or direct sunlight. Because the system serves a specific area, homeowners can adjust that room without changing the thermostat for the entire house.
Why Professional Installation Matters
Choosing the right system involves more than matching its capacity to a room’s square footage. A qualified contractor can properly size the system and determine the best placement for the indoor and outdoor units.
Professional installation is also important for electrical work, refrigerant connections, safety, performance and warranty protection. But there are options available for the hard-core DIY homeowner. Check online.
