Thinking about how ductless air conditioners work? The short answer is that ductless ACs, also known as mini-split ACs, work the same way as central air conditioners do—the difference is that they’re just without the ducts. Like central air conditioners, ductless ACs produce cool air in a given space by sucking in warm air, absorbing the moisture and heat from that air, and then dumping the heat or moisture outside. The main difference between ductless air conditioners and central air conditioners is how they both deliver cool air:

• Central ACs blow the cold air into a whole network of air ducts where the air is dispersed throughout the home.
• Ductless ACs blow the cold air directly into the one room or area it cools.

Now let’s take a deeper look at how ductless ACs work and how they cool your home without using ductwork.

How Do Ductless Air Conditioners Work? 

Here we’ll discuss some major information about the workings of ductless ACs, their components, and their pros and cons.

Components of a Ductless Air Conditioner: 

Ductless ACs consist of three main components, which include:

An evaporator unit/blower unit: 

A blower, or an evaporator unit, is the main part of the ductless air conditioner that sits in the indoor room that the AC serves. These units are thin and 3 ’long in length. The function of an evaporator is to draw in warm air from a room. It absorbs the moisture and heat from the air and then channels the cold air back to the room. Finally, they send the moisture and heat outside through the conduit.

Conduit Unit: 

A conduit connects the indoor AC components with the outside AC components. The conduit is a thin-shaped, long-structured cable that comprises the refrigerant tubing, power cable, and condensation drain. It provides electrical power to the indoor and outdoor parts of the ductless AC.

Learn more about ductless solutions here.

Condenser: 

The condenser is the external component of the ductless AC. The function of the condenser is to take all the heat emanating from your house and unload it outside.

Single-Zone and Multi-Zone Ductless AC Setups:

You’re thinking about whether ductless AC is effective in multi-room or not. Well, ductless AC units are effective both in a single room and in multi-zone spaces. In addition, you can install ductless AC systems in various settings based on two platforms.

Single-Zone Mini-Split AC Setup: 

A mini-split AC consists of a single evaporator unit and an outdoor condenser. This makes it ideal for single-room cooling. If you have enough outgoing space for the setup of multiple condensers, then you can set up numerous ductless ACs that work simultaneously to cool the entire building. In addition, if one system is down due to any issue in single zone mini splits, the rest of the system won’t be affected.

A Ductless AC System with Multiple Zones:

In multi-zone ductless AC systems, there are two variants. The first variant is based on a single outdoor condenser linked to several indoor evaporators or blower units. In this regard, each indoor unit is coupled with a thermostat. The configuration of a multi-zone system is much more cost-effective. This system is ideal for buildings where all rooms have different cooling loads.

Suppose you want a customizable system that allows options for cooling. In that case, you can go for a mini-zone system with detached compressor circuits linked with each evaporator/blower unit.

Do Ductless Air Conditioners Have Efficient Cooling Power? 

As a fact, some of the individual indoor units look small, and ductless ACs are meant to cool a single room, which makes cooling easier. However, if you want your unit to provide efficient cooling power, then you need to match the BTU capacity to the size of the room. Generally, the bigger the room size, the higher you need BTU rating. Therefore, it’s a better option to determine your cooling load with the help of an HVAC contractor. They use various factors and situations to determine which option best suits you.

If you buy a system too small for the given space, it will work overtime to cool the specific space. In addition, the overwork leads to rapid wear and tear on HVAC repairs. On the other hand, if you install a system that is too large and you own a small space, it will turn on and off frequently, shortening the system’s life span. So here we’re giving you some options for the best suit sizes:

1. For rooms measuring between 400 and 650 square feet, you need a unit that provides 12000 BTUs per hour.
2. For rooms measuring 600 and 1000 square feet, you need a unit that provides around 18000 BTUs per hour.
3. For larger rooms that measure between 800 and 13,000 square feet, you need a system unit that provides around 24000 BTUs per hour.

You can also contact a licensed HVAC contractor to learn more about ductless air conditioners and their system installation.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Ductless Air Conditioners:

Below, we will discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of the ductless air conditioning system.

The Benefits of Ductless Air Conditioners:

Ductless air conditioners provide built-in “zoning” because they cool only one room or space. Zoning means each and every room gets customized temperature control settings.

These systems are energy efficient. You don’t have to worry about losing money to duct leaks when you buy a ductless AC system. According to Energy.gov, 20 to 30% of conditioned air is wasted due to duct leakage, and it’s normal.

You can install up to 4 evaporator units on one condenser to cool multiple rooms.

Ductless air conditioners are an excellent option and less costly for older homes that do not have ductwork.

Drawbacks to Ductless Air Conditioners:

Typically, ductless ACs are more customizable and are more energy efficient. That’s why they usually cost more upfront. Remember that the cost of the associated ductwork can increase the upfront cost of a central AC system, which makes the system more expensive than a similar-sized ductless system.

Unlike central AC, which can be hidden in the basement or a closet. You can’t hide a ductless AC’s indoor unit; it’s mounted on the walls, floor, or ceiling. Ductless ACs are less obtrusive and sleeker than central AC or window AC units.

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Conclusion: 

In the end, we conclude that ductless ACs are customizable, versatile, and energy efficient. But, they eliminate the need for an air distribution duct, which means they are cheaper to install and maintain than central air conditioners.

Call AC Pro to learn more about ductless air conditioning systems:

Whether it is a small AC job or a big one, we keep you as our top priority. We make sure to resolve your AC issues at our earliest. You don’t have to wait for days to get our services, unlike other big names.