Ductless heat pumps have no shortage of advantages over central HVAC systems. Many of these benefits stem from the unique way these systems control the temperature in your home through a process known as zoned heating and cooling. Here, we’re going to take a look at what ductless zoning is, why it’s beneficial, and how Boston homeowners can make the most of this energy-efficient heating and cooling solution.
What is zoned heating and cooling?
Zoned heating and cooling is the process of dividing a home’s temperature control into different sections, known as zones. This is in contrast to traditional HVAC units that treat the entire home as a single, temperature-controlled space. Zoning allows Boston homeowners to create personalized temperature zones for improved energy efficiency and comfort. For example, if you want the master bedroom set at 76-degrees, the kitchen a bit cooler at 68-degrees, and your guest bedroom not heated or cooled at all, you can achieve it easily with zoning.
How does zoned HVAC work?
Traditional HVAC systems consist of a single, central until responsible for pushing heated or conditioned air through ductwork to various rooms in the home. Conversely, ductless systems heat and cool individual rooms separately with indoor handling units. A single outdoor compressor is hooked up to one or more indoor air handler units via connecting lines. Each indoor handling unit has its own thermostat, allowing Boston homeowners to select the temperature of each room individually.
What are the benefits of zoned HVAC system?
Whisper-quiet operation
If you’ve ever had to deal with a noisy HVAC system, you know just how annoying centralized units can be. Ductless heat pumps are designed with a whisper-quiet operation so you can achieve maximal comfort with minimal distraction. Say goodbye to disruptive clanks, whooshes, and hisses, and hello to peace and quiet.
Improved energy efficiency
One of the strongest selling points of ductless HVAC systems is their improved energy efficiency when compared to conventional models. The ductwork itself is actually what makes centralized units so inefficient as a significant portion of the airflow is lost through poor duct connections, resulting in higher energy costs.
Quicker & cheaper installation
Despite being newer technology and more energy-efficient, ductless HVAC systems are actually cheaper to install than their traditional counterparts. Ductless systems only consist of an outdoor compressor, indoor handling units, and some connecting lines for refrigerant, power, and exhaust – making for quick and affordable installation. The network of ducts required in central units results in significantly higher installation costs.
How to make the most of your zoned HVAC system.
The advantages of zoned heating and cooling are evident, but these benefits require some effort on your part. There are some simple practices you can adopt to optimize the energy efficiency and lifespan of your ductless system. Let’s take a look at the most practical steps Boston homeowners should take to make the most of their zoned HVAC systems.
Use “cruise control” modes.
Mini-splits often come with “auto” modes which are perfect for maximizing your system’s energy efficiency. As the name suggests, this setting automates the temperature control within a zone in accordance with the set temperature. Your mini-split will heat or cool the air and automatically switch off when the room reaches your desired comfort level. These automated settings are specially designed to optimize a unit’s energy usage which results in lower utility bills for Boston homeowners.
Run each mini-split separately.
After making the switch to a ductless HVAC system, you might feel tempted to run all of your home’s mini-splits at the same temperature to replicate the operation of a standard, centralized unit. After all, the more mini-splits you’re running, the more comfortable your home, right? Well, not quite. To maximize the comfort and energy efficiency of your ductless system, you should run each handling unit according to the heating or cooling needs of that particular zone. This gives every member of your family the ability to set their room to their personal preference.
Take advantage of smart thermostats.
Using a smart thermostat with a heat pump is an excellent way to maximize its energy efficiency while keeping your home ideally comfortable. Boston homeowners can automatically program their ductless HVAC system via a smart thermostat to work around their unique schedules. Maybe you want to keep your heat pump running at a lower capacity when you’re at work. Smart thermostats also give homeowners remote control features so you can switch it on and off, change temperature, and make other changes all from an app.
Ready to make the switch to ductless HVAC systems or eager to learn more about their benefits? You’re in the right place! At New England Ductless, we’ve been helping Boston homeowners make the most of ductless technology for years. Feel free to contact us to set up an appointment.