The typical choice when you install an AC unit is a central-air system. Such a system will require you to install a system of ducts, which will push conditioned air into every room. The advantage of such a system is that it will rapidly cool your entire house. On the other hand, if you want to keep costs down both at installation and as you operate your system, you should consider using a mini-split system.
Reducing Your Installation Costs
One of the biggest costs involved in installing a central-air system is installing your ducts, which can be around $2,000. Part of this cost comes from the shear amount of materials you need to use to create the ducts. The rest of the cost comes from the amount of labor involved in putting the duct system in place and then encasing the ducts behind drywall. A mini-split system does not use ducts. Instead, it will have up to four evaporators, which you place in the rooms that most need cooling. Coolant lines are small enough that installers can use a paddle bit to drill holes through the studs in your house and then guide the coolant lines through the holes.
Reducing Operating Costs
Another concern when installing ducts is that they can wear out over time. The pressure of air flowing through ducts can cause joints and seams to leak, and when leaks form, they can decrease the efficiency of your system by up to 40%. You have no way of immediately knowing when leaks form, and when you lose your efficiency, you will end up paying more than you should to keep your home cool. In order to avoid this cost, you need to have your ducts inspected from time to time and repaired whenever necessary. With a mini-split system, you don't have to worry about the cost of maintaining your ducts.
A mini-split system can help you to efficiently cool your home in several ways. You only need to place evaporators in the rooms that most need cooling, so you don't have to worry about pumping cooled air to rooms that are already cool or are rarely used. And because each evaporator unit will have its own thermostat, you can turn off the cooling in a room as you leave it. This will help you to further tailor your unit's production to your needs. If you have someone who likes your home to be extra cold, you can limit the damage they do to your cooling bill by giving them control only over the thermostat in one room instead of the whole house. This will increase the comfort of other people in your home who dislike the cold and increase your savings.
You have more flexibility with a mini-split system, and you can optimize the efficiency of your cooling system to maximize your savings. Contact a professional HVAC service, like American Independent Heating & Air Conditioning, for more information on installing your own mini-split system.
Share22 June 2015
Last summer, I began to get extremely hot in my home. My air conditioning system couldn’t adequately keep my home cool anymore. Therefore, I contacted an experienced HVAC contractor. This individual visited my home and thoroughly inspected my unit. If your air conditioner isn’t working like it once did, your air ducts may be clogged up. Thankfully, an expert HVAC contractor can determine if faulty air ducts are the cause of the hot temperatures inside your home. On this blog, you will discover how an HVAC contractor can properly inspect your air ducts. Stay cool and comfortable during the hot summer months!