Clean Energy Comfort

Salem's leading provider of heating and cooling systems

Salem:

503-304-1320

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503-982-6082

CCB #193064

Are Ductless Heat Pumps Really That Efficient?

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The short answer is yes, they are.  For a more detailed demonstration on the efficiency of ductless heat pump systems, I point you to a case study we started over a year ago.  Muddy Creek Charter School is a small elementary school on the outskirts of Corvallis, Oregon.  They were suffering through winters at the school with their heating system, which was an oil boiler with air handlers that served the classrooms, library, office, and gym areas.  Not only was this heating system very inefficient, but it also provided little to no ventilation for the school, and they had no air conditioning when the warmer weather would set in.  We installed Mitsubishi ductless heat pump systems for each of the 7 classrooms and the library.  For the gym, we installed a Rheem roof top package heat pump system to heat and cool, and provide fresh air ventilation.  For the classrooms we also installed an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) to provide very efficient fresh air, making the classrooms a much healthier environment.

Recently I met with Mr. Hayes, the Principal at Muddy Creek, and he shared with me his utility cost savings over the previous year.  Comparing 2011 to 2012, the electric bill for the school actually went down a nominal amount.  The kicker here is the savings they are realizing by not having to purchase heating oil.  The school was budgeting a whopping $12,000 to $16,000 per year for heating oil, and now that burden is lifted.  As you can imagine this will do great things for the school in terms of their budgeting for the future; and they now have a healthier, more comfortable environment for the children to learn in.

As a disclosure, the roof top heat pump system for the gym was not running during the comparison period, and we have not yet installed the ductless units to feed the office area.  I can assure you though, that these variables will not make that much of a dent in their savings.  The school plans on hopefully finishing up the project around the end of the school year.

This is an example of what ductless heat pump systems can do on a larger scale.  Ductless heat pumps, also known as mini splits, are great heating and cooling systems for residential applications as well.  There are also some great incentives from utilities and tax credits that are available for residential applications.  If you would like to learn more about how a ductless heat pump system could save you money on your heating and cooling costs, then please give Clean Energy Comfort a call, and let us show you.  Additionally, Mr. Hayes gave his blessing on this article, and added that he would be happy to speak with anyone who would like to hear more about their story.

Will a ductless heat pump work in my home?

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Mitsubishi-MSZ-FE12

Mitsubishi Wall Mounted Unit

If you’re wondering whether or not a ductless heat pump will work in your home, the answer is more than likely yes. With the wide variety of indoor options available, ductless heat pumps have become adaptable to almost any situation. While the most common type of indoor unit remains the wall mounted style, the use of alternative units such as concealed, ducted units, and low floor mount units are on the rise. The fact of the matter is that all homes are different, as are the people who live in them, and they all have different needs. The use of these alternative indoor units in conjunction with the standard wall mounted ductless units, allow for much more flexibility in the design process. For example, if you live in a 1,600 square foot home with a fairly wide open main living space, but the bedrooms are isolated from the rest of the house, you could potentially feed the main area with a wall mounted unit or two, and then install a concealed ducted unit, such as the one pictured below, in the attic or crawl space that could feed some short duct runs into the bedrooms.

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Mitsubishi ducted indoor unit

One area where ductless heat pumps can really have a huge impact on livability of a space is in the upstairs of older homes that never had ductwork ran to them, or were converted from attics. A lot of times in these houses, the ceiling follows the pitch of the roof, and the attic knee walls of the upstairs are very short. In this scenario, a floor standing unit works great. The wall mounted units work best when you can get them up at a higher level in the room, but when you don’t have the luxury of installing the unit up high, the floor standing unit is the answer. The floor standing unit, as pictured below can be used in multi-zone applications only.

Mitsubishi Floor Standing Indoor Unit

Mitsubishi Floor Standing Indoor Unit

Ductless heat pumps have had a tremendous impact on the heating and air conditioning industry in the last five years, and with the continued developments in the product line, they are definitely here to stay. So, no matter if you currently have baseboard heat in your home, and want a more efficient heating system along with air conditioning, or if you have a bonus room you would like to heat and cool without affecting the rest of your home, or if your upstairs is unusable because it gets too hot, chances are that a ductless heat pump system could be just what you’re looking for.