If you’re considering a room addition to your Des Peres, MO home, you’ll need to decide how to keep it comfortable. It’s not as easy a decision as you might think. In many cases, it’s impractical to extend your home’s existing ductwork to cover an addition. Doing so can exceed your HVAC’s capacity and harm its efficiency and your comfort. As an alternative, you could install a window air conditioner, but that won’t provide heat. Your best option might just be to install a ductless mini-split to handle your new room’s heating and cooling needs. Here is everything you need to know about them and why they’re perfect for room additions.
What Is a Ductless Mini-Split?
As their name suggests, ductless mini-splits are HVAC systems that don’t require ductwork. Instead, they rely on an outdoor unit and a wall-mounted indoor air handler. Mini-splits typically use heat pump technology to offer both heating and cooling from a single convenient unit. This also makes them incredibly efficient. In most cases, a ductless mini-split will even outperform your home’s existing HVAC system. Mini-splits are also quite easy to install. All they require is a little bit of space and a small hole in your new room’s wall to permit the necessary connections.
How Do Ductless Mini-Splits Work?
Ductless mini-splits rely on heat pump technology to function. That means they use a refrigerant to collect and move heat either from the indoors to the outdoors or vice versa. In the summer, a mini-split works just like the air conditioners you’re probably used to. It begins by making its refrigerant cold by passing it through an expansion valve that lowers its pressure. In that state, the refrigerant is capable of absorbing heat from the air, which it does inside the indoor unit. To do that, it passes through a set of coils while a fan blows warm indoor air through them. The refrigerant absorbs heat until it boils and turns into a warm gas. Then, it’s ready to carry the heat outside for removal.
The heat removal happens in the mini-split’s outdoor unit, where a compressor raises its pressure and temperature. After passing through the compressor, the refrigerant will be at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit. At that temperature, it is hotter than the outdoor air. This allows the refrigerant to cool by releasing its heat into the surrounding environment. The large fan in the outdoor unit helps by pushing air over another set of coils that the refrigerant travels through. As it does, it condenses back to a warm liquid. The process repeats for as long as you need cooling.
In the winter, this same process reverses to provide heat for your new room. Unlike conventional heating equipment, however, a heat pump mini-split doesn’t consume energy to create heat. Instead, it relies on already-existing heat energy from the outside air. The process works because of some interesting scientific principles. One is that heat energy naturally transfers from warm substances to cold ones. The other is that manipulating the pressure of a refrigerant can alter its temperature and boiling point.
As a result, a heat pump mini-split can gather sufficient heat from the outdoor air, even on cold days. This works just as long as the system’s refrigerant is capable of getting colder than the outdoor temperature. Today, you can find heat pump mini-splits that use refrigerants that get as cold as -15 degrees Fahrenheit. So, they’re more than capable of providing ample heat here in Des Peres.
Why Ductless Mini Splits Are Perfect for Room Additions
There are multiple reasons why ductless mini-splits make the perfect heating and cooling solution for room additions. The following are the most important among them.
High Energy Efficiency
One of the most important reasons that ductless mini-splits make a perfect choice for room additions is their efficiency. With an average SEER rating of 22, ductless mini-splits rank among the most efficient cooling options on the market. Plus, mini-splits can provide four units of heat for every unit of electricity they use. There is no other heating technology available today that can beat that unless you install a geothermal HVAC system. This guarantees that you’ll have a comfortable new room without major new energy costs.
Ease of Installation
Mini-splits also make a perfect fit in room additions because they’re easy to install. With a mini-split, you don’t have to worry about HVAC installation during the construction of your room. It’s easy to add a mini-split to your room once it’s complete without making any substantial modifications. All you need is space on a wall to mount the air handler and a small hole through that wall. Plus, a ductless mini-split uses its own power circuit, so it won’t affect any of the outlets in your new room.
Zoned Heating and Cooling
Using a ductless mini-split to keep your new room comfortable also lets you control its temperature independently. This means you can make your new room warmer or cooler than the rest of your home as you see fit. A mini-split has its own thermostat and controls, so you can even turn it off when nobody’s using the room.
Available Efficiency Rebates and Credits
Choosing a ductless mini-split for your room addition could also unlock a variety of rebates and tax credits. Local energy providers offer a variety of rebates to encourage homeowners to choose efficient HVAC solutions. Plus, the federal government offers tax credits for the same reason. And soon, many ductless mini-splits will become eligible for point-of-purchase rebates, too. Between them all, a ductless mini-split can be your cheapest option for keeping your new room comfortable.
Quiet Operation
Mini-splits are also perfect for room additions because they operate very quietly. They won’t be as disturbing as window air conditioners, and many are quieter than ducted solutions. Plus, their outdoor units are typically smaller and quieter than those of central HVAC systems. This makes them ideal if you plan to use your new room as an office or as a space for quiet relaxation.
Reduced Maintenance Requirements
Ductless mini-splits also need less maintenance than comparable ducted solutions. They have washable air filters that are easy to remove and clean. You can also keep their air handlers fairly clean on your own, reducing the need for professional maintenance visits. That helps further minimize a mini-split’s ongoing operational costs.
Built-in Remote Control
Ductless mini-splits also come with built-in remote controls. This makes them easy to control from inside your new room. Plus, some models feature Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to operate them remotely using an app. That can be great if you want the ability to turn your mini-split on and off while you’re out.
Your Ductless Mini-Split Specialists
Since 1975, Level 9 Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing has been the go-to HVAC company that Des Peres homeowners and business owners trust. We offer complete HVAC installation, repair, and maintenance services, which include working with the latest ductless mini-splits. We also offer drain cleaning, water heater, and leak detection services. We’re also quite proud of being a Better Business Bureau-accredited business with an A+ rating. That guarantees that you can count on quality services at fair prices from us. So, if you need a ductless mini-split for your new room addition in Des Peres, contact Level 9 Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing today!
