A ductless HVAC system, also known as a ductless mini split or ductless heat pump, is a type of heating and cooling system that operates without ductwork. They’re a great way to add heating and air conditioning to rooms your ductwork doesn’t reach or houses that don’t have existing ductwork systems.
Neeeco can help you save up to $10,000 on your ductless heat pump system with Mass Save® mini split heat pump rebates! We’ve partnered with the Sponsors of Mass Save to help Massachusetts residents upgrade to energy efficient heating and cooling.
How Do Mini Split Heat Pumps Work?
Ductless mini splits heat and cool your home the same way a ducted heat pump does. They work by moving heat, rather than burning fuel to create heat the way furnaces and boilers do. When placed in heating mode, mini splits extract heat from the air outside (even in subzero temperatures!) and bring it into your home. In cooling mode, they work exactly like an air conditioner, extracting heat and humidity from the air inside your home and releasing it outside.
How Do Mini Splits Work Without Ductwork?
Mini split heat pump systems consist of an outdoor unit and one or more indoor units, called indoor air handlers or “heads,” that are mounted on interior walls. The outdoor unit is connected to the indoor units by a narrow conduit that contains a power cable, refrigerant tubing, suction tubing, and a condensate drain. Heat is transferred from indoors to outdoors and outdoors to indoors via the conduit. The indoor units heat or cool the air in the room where they’re installed, eliminating the need for ductwork. They run entirely on electricity, which makes them more efficient and environmentally friendly than combustion HVAC systems.
Benefits of Ductless Mini Splits
Ductless heat pump HVAC systems have many advantages.
- Energy efficient – Because they don’t use ducts, mini splits are not at risk of energy loss due to duct leakage. Duct losses can account for more than 30% of energy consumption for space conditioning in a ducted HVAC system!
- Flexible – Mini splits can be installed almost anywhere in your home, making it easy to create a zoned heating and cooling system. In a zoned system, you only have to condition occupied spaces, saving energy and money.
- Scalable – Your mini split system can be sized to heat and cool as many rooms as you need it to, from just one room to your entire house.
- Versatile – Mini split heat pumps provide heating and cooling in one unit so you can use them to keep your home comfortable all year-round.
- Easy installation – Because they don’t require ductwork, mini splits are often easier and more affordable to install than other types of HVAC systems.
- All-electric – Heat pumps are 100% electric, which makes them better for the environment than combustion heating systems and allows them to run on solar energy.
Where Can You Install a Ductless Heat Pump?
Ductless heat pumps can be installed almost anywhere in your home. The indoor air handler is typically installed on the inside of an exterior-facing wall. The connecting conduits come in a variety of lengths, allowing you to install the outdoor unit in the most convenient and inconspicuous location on the outside of your home.
Mini split heat pumps are ideal for:
- Home additions
- Bonus rooms
- Home offices
- Standalone sheds and garages
- Whole-home HVAC in houses without ducts
Save Up to $10,000 with Mass Save Mini Split Rebates
Ductless mini split installation is eligible for Mass Save heat pump rebates! The Partners of Mass Save offer generous rebates for energy-saving home improvements, including ductless heat pump installation. To learn more, and to see if you qualify for rebates, schedule your no-cost Mass Save Home Energy Assessment with Neeeco today!
Some restrictions apply. Offers are subject to change or cancellation. Visit MassSave.com/HEA for full details.