MiniSplit Blog
While most minisplit systems are designed to avoid duct work to cut out the loss of heating and cooling dollars, there are some situations where a ducted unit is the best fit. Several smaller rooms, or a master bedroom with an attached master bathroom are just a couple of examples. Any area where you have less than 400ft² would be ideal for a 9,000 BTU concealed ducted unit. Larger, open areas are also a good fit for the concealed ducted units, as the ducting will allow for better airflow.
So what is a ducted minisplit system and how is this different from a central system with ducts?
Minisplit systems achieve a great deal of their efficiency by removing the need for ductwork. In traditional central heating and cooling systems, the compressor and the air handler are built and installed together (called a package unit, often with a gas line for heating). Conversely, minisplit systems are built with the compressor as a single outdoor system and the air handler is a separate indoor appliance. Instead of having ductwork that runs the length of the home several times over, a single set of cooper tubing runs between the indoor and outdoor units. These copper line sets carry the compressed coolant to the indoor unit where it is circulated and expands into a gas to absorb heat. Once the liquid has expanded and cooled the indoor environment, the gas is pumped back out to the compressor to be returned to the liquid state where it can be used for additional cooling. Our ducted minisplit systems combine the best of both worlds - allowing existing duct work to be reused, or cutting down on the duct work that would normally be needed to just a few, shorter runs. By mounting the concealed ducted unit closest to the area to be conditioned, these systems are able to drastically out perform comparable central units.
What are some of the advantages of a concealed ducted unit?
One of the nice features of these units is that the air handler can be concealed in a number of ways. With the ability for them to be mounted horizontally or vertically they are able to be hidden inside drop tile ceilings, or hidden behind a wall. They can even be mounted inside a closed or an existing air handler space to reuse existing duct work. If the sight of traditional wall mounts do not fit with your particular decor, this feature is indispensable.
What are some of the disadvantages of these systems?
There is some increased cost with the ducted systems. They do require the ducts to be run for the best air flow (although, not strictly required) which adds to the materials costs. In addition to the duct work that may need to be ran, the intake and the exhaust from the units needs to have a 'cage' built to adapt to the duct work or register in a given area. Also, depending on the orientation of the unit, it may require the use of a condensate pump. This doesn't add to the cost, as the units come with the condensate pump built in and ready to go, it just add a tiny amount to the units power consumption.
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