Ductless heat pump systems are quickly becoming the most exciting product our industry has to offer. Quickly may be overstating it a bit considering that these systems have been around for nearly 40 years in the Asian market. We in the United States began installing systems around 20 years ago, though mostly in commercial applications, such as computer server rooms. The popularity of this product has exploded in the last five years in the residential market, and it is due to a number of factors.
Energy savings are certainly at the forefront of these factors. Ductless heat pump systems are among the most efficient systems available today. Not only are the published efficiency ratings extremely high, but the fact that in most scenarios ductwork running in an unconditioned space such as an attic or crawl can be eliminated can be a huge energy saver. The U.S. Department of Energy states that we can lose hundreds of dollars a year through ductwork in unconditioned spaces. In short, it is a much better practice to heat and cool the interior of your home, than to pay to heat and cool your attic and/or crawl space.
Ductless heat pump systems also offer the ability to zone your home. In other words, you can have the main living portion of your home be one temperature, while maybe the bedroom areas are kept a little cooler. These systems can vary their capacity based on the load being presented. If it is a more mild weather day, the system can ramp down and still maintain temperature. Conversely, if it is an extreme weather day (really hot, or really cold) the system will ramp up to compensate for the added load. Think of it as cruise control for your home. The system will bring you up to 70 degrees, or “60 mph” and it will keep you right there no matter what the surrounding conditions. Not only does this make the system more efficient, and the home more comfortable, but it is also less wear and tear on the system, as it is not constantly turning on and off.
