Mini split air conditioner has several potential applications either in residential or in commercial buildings. Typically, mini split air conditioners are ductless that can be applied to houses with heating systems like hydronic, radiant panels and space heaters. Ductless, can also be a great option for room additions and in small apartments, especially if the distribution ductwork installation and extension is not feasible.
Similar to a central air conditioner or heating system, a mini split air conditioner has two main components. These are the outdoor compressor/condenser and the indoor air-handling unit. A conduit links the outdoor and indoor components together. A conduit houses the power cable, refrigerant tubing, suction tubing and condensate drain.
Mini split air conditioners give different benefits to their owners. But their main advantages are their size and flexibility. They are categorized as small units. They are flexible for zoning or warming and cooling down individual rooms. Many models of mini splits have at most four indoor air-handling units that are connected to only one outdoor unit. The four indoor air-handling units can heat up and cool down four zones or rooms.
The number of indoor units is dependent to how much heating up or cooling down the building or zone requires. With the right number of indoor units, the building will be well insulated. Each zone being cooled down and heated up has its own thermostat. This means you only have to condition the room where someone is present. Hence, their owners can save energy and money.
More often, the mini split air conditioners are much easier to install compared to other kinds of conditioning systems. For instance, mini splits generally only require a three-inch hole on a wall to hook up the outdoor and indoor units or for the conduit. In addition, manufacturers of this conditioning system give numerous lengths of connecting the conduits.
Since mini split air conditioners are ductless, they can prevent energy losses related to ductwork of central conditioning systems. Energy losses through ducts can amount at least 30% of energy consumption. This is especially true if the ducts are placed in an unconditioned area like in an attic.
However, the drawback of mini split air conditioner is its price. It can cost from $1,500 to $2,000 a ton of cooling capacity. If you compare it to the central conditioning systems, it can amount to 30% more than the central system without the ductwork. More so, with a similar capacity, the cost of mini splits is twice as much as the window units.
Installation of mini splits is a meticulous job. It should be correctly measured and it should be placed in the best possible location. Oversized and/or incorrect location may result to short cycling that can waste more energy and can provide improper temperature or humidity control. Also, qualified installers for mini splits are difficult to find. Furthermore, larger units of mini split air conditioner are more expensive in terms of price costs and operation.
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