What is a Mini Split?
A Mini Split is a type of ductless central air conditioning unit that includes a large outdoor unit with a compressor and condenser and multiple air-handling units in different rooms of the house.
The air-handlers connect to the outdoor unit by means of narrow conduit that holds the power cable, refrigerant tubing, suction tubing, and a condensate drain. An installer needs only to make a three-inch hole in the wall to snake the conduit through. Air-handlers can be placed as far as 50 feet from the outdoor condenser/compressor unit.
An installer can mount the air handler in a variety of locations where it won’t detract from a home’s décor. These small units, which are usually about seven inches deep, come with attractive front plates. Installers can hang the units in any one of three ways: recessed into a drop ceiling, hung flat on a ceiling, or mounted on a wall.
No venting is required, and a mini split unit will not block a window or take up space on a floor like a window air conditioner or portable unit.
A mini split air conditioner is a cooling system that can grow to accommodate increased cooling needs. In most cases, one outdoor unit can run up to four indoor air handlers. An installer can put in one unit to start and add more as needed in the future. Each air handler includes its own thermostat, so users can cool only occupied rooms.
For this reason, many people tout mini splits as more efficient than central air conditioning units. Additionally, since about 30 percent of an air conditioner’s cooling capability can escape through metal ductwork, a mini split is more efficient by design.
While a mini split air conditioner costs more than a standard central AC unit, in houses in which it would cost too much to run duct work, a mini split unit might make a wise and cost-effective choice.
Homeowners should consider a mini split air conditioner if the house:
- currently uses a ductless heating system, such as radiant heating, hot water heat, or wood, kerosene or propane space heaters
- is older and features plaster walls, decorative wainscoting, or other surfaces that they don’t want to mar with the installation of ducts
- has tight spaces and lots of corners in which metal ducts wouldn’t fit
In other words, in situations where the cost and practicality of installing ducts makes it infeasible, a mini split air conditioning system provides one ductless solution.