Buying a ductless air conditioner for your home is a significant investment – one that you should make after careful consideration. Ductless air conditioners are generally referred to as ductless mini-splits or ductless heat pumps. If you are in the market to buy a ductless air conditioner, make sure you look into the following factors before making the purchasing decision:
The Number of Zones
When you are considering buying a ductless heat pump, you will have the options of single-zone and multi-zone models available. Industry experts will sometimes refer to the zones as ‘Heads.’ The Heads are the visible units of the AC system that go into each zone of the house that will be cooled and heated. Typically, Heads will be mounted on a wall or into the ceiling as a recessed cassette. Naturally, the cost of ductless mini-splits will go up as the number of zones increases. The benefit of purchasing multi-head ductless mini-splits is that they provide better zoning control, i.e. you can set different temperatures in each one of them. This optionality also helps in reducing energy consumption by regulating the temperature according to your needs.
Warranty
Make sure that the ductless mini-split you are thinking of buying has a standard warranty. Having a warranty gives peace of mind that you’ll be covered if anything goes wrong with the unit. Moreover, be sure to ask about the conditions on which the warranty will apply. Another important item to keep in mind is that you should get an HVAC contractor to install the system in your home, or else some clauses of the warranty will be nullified. NEEECO recommends Mitsubishi mini-splits that have 7-year parts and compressor warranty.
BTU Requirements
British Thermal Unit (BTU) is a unit in which the power of air conditioners is measured. The value of BTU determines the size of the space the air conditioning unit will be able to cool effectively. For example, a 150 sq. ft. room will require an air conditioner of at least 5,000 BTUs. Make sure you know about the size of the space you are purchasing the ductless mini-split system so that it works efficiently in maintaining a comfortable temperature in different areas of your home. Having a heat pump system that is undersize or oversize can serious lessen its high-efficiency ratings compared to optimal operation.
Energy Efficiency
Almost all ductless air conditioners of reputed brands are Energy Star certified. This certification gauging energy efficiency is calculated by a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). The rule of thumb is that the higher the value of the SEER, the more efficient the air conditioning unit. In the United States, the federal requirement for ductless mini-splits is a 13.0 SEER rating. Based on your usage and the size of the zones, you should select the ductless air conditioner that best suits your requirements.
If you would like to get more information about ductless air conditioners or want professional help in choosing the right units for your home, you should get in touch with our experts at NEEECO. NEEECO has chosen service partners that have been vetted for their installation quality. As a Mass Save partner, NEEECO offers rebates of up to $300 per head on your future ductless mini-split system.
Call (781) 514-5882 or contact us to get started with a no-cost Mass Save® home energy assessment.