Advantages of a Ductless Mini-Split System

Do you have one or more areas of your home that never get comfortable? It can be frustrating when you run the air conditioner all day and your office or bedroom just never seems to reach the desired temperature.

ductless mini-split system advantages

Thankfully, there is an easy solution for conditioning areas of the home that don’t get enough from the central unit: a Daikin ductless mini-split unit It is called a ductless mini-split because it can be installed without have to add or connect air ducts.

ductless mini-split air conditioning infographic
source: http://www.salmonplumbing.ca/fujitsu-heat-pump.htm

What is a ductless mini-split system?

A ductless mini split system is an indoor handling unit that is installed in the room you desire and connected to an outdoor condenser unit (much smaller than typical heat pumps) by means of tubing. Refrigerant is passed through the tubing passing heat from one area to another. Rather than having to install conventional ductwork, all that is needed is a 3-inch hole in the outside wall.

You can either install ductless mini-splits to supplement your existing central air unit or completely replace your system them. Using ductless mini-split systems as a supplement will help you to avoid spending a lot of money to resize your current heating and cooling system.

Here are some areas of the home that could benefit from a ductless mini-split unit:

  • Additions
  • Garage
  • Basement
  • Attic
  • Home Office
  • Bedroom
  • Home Without Ductwork

6 Advantages of a Ductless Mini-Split System

Small Size – With a small outdoor compressor and an even smaller wall mount unit, you won’t even notice it’s there. No additional ducts need to be installed, making the ductless mini-split system a very discrete heating and cooling method.

Quiet Operation – Small, ductless units provide whisper-level silence.

Easy to Install – Copper tubing, carrying refrigerant, runs through a small hole in the exterior wall from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit. These systems are easier to install since they don’t require ducts that take up a lot of space.

Flexible – You can choose where you want the indoor unit – on the wall, ceiling, or floor. Most ductless mini-split systems can support multiple indoor air handlers, giving you the option to expand later. Each room can have its own remote thermostat control.

Energy Efficient – All ductless mini-split systems meet the minimum efficiency standards for central heat pumps and usually exceed them. Without having to pass air through leaky and inefficient ductwork, your air handler can release the conditioned air right into your living space. This improves energy efficiency and indoor air quality.

Indoor Air Quality – The Daikin Quaternity ductless mini-split unit include air purification and humidity regulators so that your air remains clean and properly humidified.

Click here for more information on Daikin’s Quaternity Ductless Mini-Split Systems.

Larry & Sons offers professional and competitively priced Daikin ductless mini-split installations and maintenance in Hagerstown, MD and the surrounding areas.

Visit our ductless mini-split page for more information on how Larry & Sons can create HVAC zoning for increased comfort and energy efficiency.

Whether you want to supplement your existing heating and cooling system or replace it entirely, give Larry & Sons a call today at (301) 733-5428.

We service Hagerstown, Frederick, and the surrounding Maryland areas. We also service parts of West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Advantages and Disadvantages of an Electric Heat Pump

A heat pump is one of the most efficiency options for residential heating. They operate like a furnace during the winter, and in the summer, they provide efficient cooling. Both gas and electric heat pumps are available. If you’re thinking about investing in an electric heat pump, here are a few of the pros and cons.

Pros and Cons of Electric Heat Pumps

Advantages of Electric Heat Pumps
heat pump

Electric heat pumps are extremely efficient. During the winter, they absorb heat from the ground or atmosphere, multiply it, and transfer it throughout the home. In the summer, the pump removes heat from the home, resulting in a cooling effect.

An electric heat pump is more affordable to use than a heating system fueled by natural gas, and it doesn’t generate dry air. This means you won’t have to use a humidifier like you may need to when using a furnace.

Your heat pump will also provide even heating, and you won’t experience frequent fluctuations in temperature. Electric pumps are quiet, and they don’t pollute the environment when in use.

Disadvantages of Electric Heat Pumps

The initial cost of purchasing an electric heat pump is the primary drawback for many homeowners. These systems are relatively difficult to install, and the installation must be completed by a qualified electrician or HVAC technician.

Your heat pump also requires a bit of maintenance. If you don’t care for it properly, it may not operate efficiently throughout its lifespan.

Heat Pump in Hagerstown

If you’re thinking about investing in a heat pump in Hagerstown or the surrounding areas, trust Larry & Sons. We’re proud to offer top-of-the-line electric heat pumps, and we can help you choose the model that is best suited to your home as well as your budget. Though the initial investment may seem steep, purchasing a heat pump is an excellent way to save money on your heating bills in the long run.

To learn more about electric heat pumps or to schedule a service call, contact us today by calling 301-733-5428.

Pre-Season Furnace Inspection

Inspect and Maintain your heater before winter startsWhen you’ve used it, your HVAC unit has worked splendidly this year, but, even though it uses the same thermostat, your furnace is a different system and should be treated differently.  The end of September marks the closing of summer and the beginning of winter, which means it’s time to schedule a pre-season maintenance for your heating system, before you start it for the first time.  Regular maintenance and a pre-start inspection with cleaning are essential to the health of your heating unit.  Every year that you start up the system without conducting an inspection and basic maintenance is a slightly higher chance that your heating system will fail, leading to expensive repairs.  While we recommend getting a professional inspection every fall, there are a few things you can do on your own first. Continue reading “Pre-Season Furnace Inspection”

Frederick HVAC Tip: History of Heat Pumps

Thermal energy is the natural movement from warm temperatures to colder temperatures creating energy in the change of temperature to the mass.  A heat pump typically is a device that moves the air (or other matter) in the opposite direction from its natural flow.

A heat pump often uses an intermediate fluid called a refrigerant which absorbs heat as it vaporizes and releases the heat when it is condensed,  using an evaporator to absorb the heat (or energy) from inside an occupied space and forcing this heat to the outside through the condenser. The key component that makes a heat pump different from your Frederick air conditioning is the reversing valve which allows for the flow direction of the refrigerant to be changed, allowing the heat to be pumped in either direction.

Timeless Technology

While mechanical movement of this energy, what we can actually call a pump,  has been a relatively recent invention,  the concept of this principal of physics has been in use since ancient times. Harnessing the power of geothermal energy (produced from the heat of the earth itself), natural hot springs “pumped” warm air into cool spaces in China and Europe thousands of years ago.

By 1852, Lord Kelvin had theorized the heat pump, but it took nearly 100 years to actually build one.  In the last half century, the technological advances have made heat pumps part of our lives in many ways.

The First Heat Pump

In the 1940s a man named Robert Webber was motivated to build the first known heat pump while tinkering with his refrigerator.  Accidently burning his hand on the outlet pipes of the cooling system, he was quite painfully awakened to an idea about the transference of heat.

Recognizing the freezer was constantly producing heat to cool its interior, he connected the outlet pipe to the storage tank of his hot water heater, extended that into a flow through pipes which heated air nearby, and  then used a fan to blow the warmth into another room.

The first heat pump was a crude, but effective method to provide comfort.  Creating a full-size version soon after, Wagner could heat his entire home.

Today heat pumps are built in many ways and shapes to heat or cool buildings of many sizes. To learn more about having a heat pump installed in your home, give the Frederick air conditioning experts at Larry & Sons a call!