A ductless mini-split system is a cutting-edge HVAC solution that provides more efficient and convenient delivery of heating and cooling in a home. While it resembles a split-system air-source heat pump or A/C in that it employs both outside and inside units connected by a conduit, in other ways, a mini-split is much different.

As its name suggests, this kind of system lacks the supply and return ductwork of standard forced-air heating and cooling systems, and instead uses one or more indoor air handlers connected to an outdoor condenser/compressor. The air handlers provide heating and cooling directly to the areas where they’re installed, rather than through ducts. This makes a ductless mini-split system a perfect choice for an add-on system in a home where ductwork does not exist, or for use in a new wing or room of the home.

Benefits of a Ductless Mini-Split System

  • Since it does not rely on ductwork for delivery of conditioned air, a mini-split does not have the 20 to 30 percent air leakage and energy losses that commonly occur with ducted systems.
  • A major advantage of this system is the compact size of its indoor air handlers and great flexibility for cooling or heating individual rooms or zones within the home. The indoor air handling units (AHUs) can be suspended from the ceiling, they can be attached to a wall, and they can even be set up as floor-standing models. These systems can work with one air handler or several of them.
  • Ease of installation is a hallmark of the ductless mini-split system, since each room or zone being cooled needs a three-inch hole in the wall drilled for the conduit connected to the outdoor unit.
  • One of the more subtle benefits of a ductless mini-split system is that it keeps your home safer than some other systems, because the breach in the exterior wall is only the small hole, rather than an open window for a room air conditioner.

The mission of One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Northern Virginia is to provide superior products and services at a fair price, and to share our HVAC expertise with the residents of Northern Virginia. If you have any home comfort issues that you’d like to discuss, please contact us today.