Upfront Cost A ductless system will usually be more expensive than a central air conditioning system with the same capacity. However, if you need to replace your ductwork or your home doesn’t have existing ductwork, you should expect to pay about twice as much money for a central air conditioning system as for a ductless system with the same capacity. This means that ductless systems are ideal for new homes and new additions to existing homes. They’re also a great way to avoid replacing old, inefficient air ducts. If your home has ductwork, your installer will seal the air registers so that pests can’t get in and any dust or other contaminants inside won’t escape and lower your indoor air quality. There’s no need to pay to have the old ductwork removed. Installation Contractors usually need about a week to install a central air conditioning system. If you don’t already have ductwork, the process will take longer. Installers will have to tear down parts of your walls and ceilings to install the ductwork, then make repairs and repaint the damaged areas. For some homes, custom-made ducts are necessary, and they use valuable space in closets, attics, and basements. Since the factory puts most of the parts of a ductless system together, installation only takes a day or two. Contractors place indoor units in your rooms and drill a hole in your wall for the conduit. Then, they run the suction tubing, power cable, refrigerant line, and condensate drain from the outdoor to the indoor units through the conduit. Since installation is faster, you won’t have to pay as much for labor, and you can get back to your normal schedule sooner. Your Utility Bills With a central air conditioning system, cool air has to travel through your air ducts to reach the rooms in your home. Along the way, a lot of it seeps out in unconditioned parts of your home. This forces your system to work harder, wasting energy. A ductless system is more efficient, which means it can cool your home faster. Most ductless air conditioning systems have fans that can change their speed based on conditions inside and outside your home. These fans are also called variable-speed air handlers. Air conditioners with this feature start working at full speed, then switch to a lower speed when they reach the temperature you want. They stay on to maintain the temperature, saving energy and preventing uncomfortable temperature variations throughout your day. Ductless HVAC systems with more than one indoor unit can use zoning. Each indoor unit has its own thermostat or separate temperature sensors with a central thermostat. You can set a different temperature in each zone or area. This means you never have to cool an empty room, and family members in different zones can stay comfortable by setting the temperatures they prefer. You can also use the same method to lower your utility bills if you have an addition, sunroom, basement, attic, or garage with a ductless system, even if that system doesn’t have features designed especially for zoning. Just turn off your central air conditioner when everyone is in the area with the ductless HVAC system and turn off the ductless system if no one is using it. Indoor Air Quality Indoor pollutants, including dust, dust mites, pollen, mold, bacteria, and even pest droppings, can accumulate inside the ductwork in your central heating and cooling system. Without regular cleaning and maintenance, these pollutants will eventually spread around your home through leaks in ductwork and lower your indoor air quality. Family members could experience flu-like symptoms, skin irritation, worsening asthma, or other problems. Children, elderly people, and people with respiratory or other health conditions are the most vulnerable. These pollutants don’t accumulate in ductless systems, so the filters can catch more contaminants. Since ductless HVAC systems with variable-speed fans stay on longer, they can remove pollutants even more effectively. Longer cooling cycles also lower humidity better than central air conditioning systems. Your family will be more comfortable, and you could even lower your family’s medical bills by keeping away contaminants that produce health problems. Maintenance With a ductless air conditioning system, you won’t have to spend time inspecting your ductwork for problems. You also won’t have to pay for duct maintenance like sealing leaks, cleaning ductwork, or adding insulation. However, central air conditioning systems usually have longer warranties than ductless systems. https://www.minisplitairconditioningsystem.org/