How Do Ductless Mini-Split Air Conditioners Work?

The Minneapolis St. Paul area is known for its hot, humid summer days. Until fairly recently, central and window air conditioning systems were the most common ways to cool building interiors. In the past two decades, though, a new way to bring cool comfort has grown in popularity. Manufacturers like Mitsubishi, Fujitsu, Daikin, LG, Toshiba, Fujitsu, Carrier and Lennox have introduced reliable, affordable mini-split air conditioners to the marketplace.

These technologically advanced systems are especially useful for air conditioning and supplemental heating in homes without forced air heating and are much more efficient than window AC units. Ductless systems have grown in popularity, with tens of thousands of installations in Minnesota. As the Twin Cities highest-rated HVAC contractor, we’ve been installing mini-split air conditioners to meet the needs of our valued customers since the very beginning. Once we explain how they work, how economical and efficient they are, and how they can solve difficult cooling problems, homeowners and commercial property owners are eager to choose them.

Efficient, Quiet and Flexible Cooling

Like all air conditioners, today’s ductless mini-split systems work by compressing and evaporating a refrigerant. During compression, the refrigerant becomes a liquid at high pressure, after giving up heat in a condenser coil. The liquid refrigerant is sent to another coil or heat exchanger, where it evaporates, removing heat from the air in the process, providing comfortable cooling. This refrigeration cycle is used in buildings, automobiles, refrigerators and freezers. It’s efficient, effective, and helps us enjoy our lives. Ductless mini-split AC systems differ from other methods in the following ways:

• Ductless Operation Is Independent and Flexible

  Typical home or commercial air conditioning systems rely on the same air ducts for both heating and cooling. The evaporator coil or heat exchanger is located in the air duct system, where it removes heat from the air circulated by the furnace blower. For ductless operation, no ductwork is needed. The evaporator and fan are located in a small wall-mounted air handler in the room to be cooled. The system operates independently from the building’s HVAC system. This makes it perfect for buildings or rooms that rely on radiant, hot-water or steam heating.

• Mini-Split System Cooling Is Efficient and Compact

  Typical central air conditioning systems are called split systems, because the large condenser and compressor unit are located outdoors, with the evaporator coil or heat exchanger located in the air duct system. Refrigerant circulates between the two through high-pressure flexible tubing. For ductless AC, the outdoor compressor and condenser unit is much smaller and quieter. Inside, an indoor unit containing the evaporator and a quiet fan is installed in each room to be cooled. Refrigerant moves between the two through tubing.

• Single Zone or Multi-Zone Operation

  If only one room needs to be cooled, a low-cost single zone model is ideal. Using a small outdoor unit and just one quiet indoor air handler, it can be very compact and energy efficient. If more than one room will be cooled, a larger capacity outdoor unit works with multiple indoor air handlers. Unlike with central air conditioning, each room can be cooled to different temperatures and has its own thermostat. This flexibility is one of the most popular features when bringing comfort to different rooms. Also, since each room is cooled separately, SEER efficiency ratings for ductless systems are outstanding.

• Heat Pumps Provide Efficient Heating

  The nature of refrigeration systems allows them to be used for heating as well as cooling. By simply reversing the condensing and evaporation cycle, they can provide efficient heating indoors, as long as the outdoor temperatures are above 32 degrees. During Minnesota’s cool spring and fall seasons, having the heat pump option lets you use it for supplemental heating in cool weather.

Ductless Air Conditioning Sales and Service – Minneapolis St. Paul, MN

As the leading residential and commercial heating and air conditioning contractor in the Twin Cities metro area, we began installing ductless air conditioners and heat pumps of all brands, including Daikin, Lennox, Carrier, Mitsubishi and Fujitsu. These products can bring cool air to homes that rely on hot-water boiler for heating across the Twin Cities, from Eden Prairie, Bloomington and Minnetonka to Richfield, Golden Valley and White Bear Lake. As a replacement for noisy, inefficient window units, too, they’re ideal. Even complex cooling requirement in commercial buildings are easy to solve with these mini-split systems. Contact us today to discuss your air conditioning needs. In a free, no-obligation consultation at your location, we’ll help you select a Mitsubishi, Fujitsu, Daikin, Carrier Toshiba, Lennox, LG, or Samsung model that is a perfect match for your needs and budget.