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Ductless Heating, Cooling is an Alternative in This Area
Especially if replacing baseboard heaters or in new room additions
December, 2010

There is an alternative to heating and cooling systems that require ductwork to deliver the heated or cooled air throughout your home. The answer is a ductless heat pump.

Ductless heat pumps are more expensive to install when compared to the cost of baseboard heat or ceiling cable. However, yearly savings in operational costs will save hundreds of dollars each year. That's because ductless heat pumps, or "mini-splits", are estimated to use 50 to 60 percent less energy than standard electric resistance heating systems. Plus, even in the best duct-work systems, as much as 20 percent of the heated or cooled air never reaches your living space

If you have ever stayed in any of the motels or hotels, chances are there is a ductless heat pump on the outside wall of the room. Where will ductless heat pumps work best?

• Additions: New rooms or attic-garage conversions, where ductwork would need to be extended. Or where it would be extremely difficult and expensive to extend the ductwork. Also, with the additional cubic footage the current heating/cooling system may not be large enough.
• Retrofits: When space is unavailable to run ductwork, especially in manufactured or modular homes.

Ductless heat pumps are not cheap to install, but they are a good option in that they are so much cheaper to operate than baseboard or ceiling cable heating systems. Another negative about the ductless heat pumps is that of aesthetics. The indoor unit is usually mounted on a wall or ceiling, and there can be more than one per room. There will also be an outside compressor unit, as well as a refrigerant line to each indoor unit. This type of system also provides you with zone heating in each room. You can set the thermostat for a different temperature in each room.

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