Are you searching for a reliable, affordable home comfort system? If electricity is the ideal or only option available to you, a central heat pump or ductless mini-split could be a good choice. Both systems run on electric power and run in heating and cooling modes for year-round comfort. So, what’s it going to be — heat pump or mini-split? If you're still trying to figure it out, read more about each HVAC system to help you make your mind up.
What Is a Heat Pump?
A heat pump is a kind of central climate control system. Unlike a furnace, which creates usable heat for the home by combusting a fuel source, a heat pump moves heat from one place to another. In the winter, it pulls out heat energy from the air outdoors and deposits it inside. Then, a built-in reversing valve will allow it to perform this process backward in the summer, behaving the same as an AC system to remove heat and humidity from indoor air and vent it outside.
What Is a Mini-Split?
A mini-split works on the same principle as a heat pump. In fact, it is a kind of heat pump — minus the ductwork. That’s why it’s called a “ductless” system. A mini-split could be a ceiling- or wall-mounted unit with a built-in air handler. This indoor equipment is connected directly to an outdoor condensing unit from a small hole drilled in the wall. Various indoor units can link up with a single outdoor unit, providing whole-home comfort with no ductwork required.
Making Your Decision
Below are the most important things to review when choosing between a heat pump and a mini-split for your Canada home.
Ductwork & Installation
If your home is currently heated and cooled with a conventional furnace and air conditioner, the needed ductwork infrastructure is already in place. Therefore, installing a heat pump is likely the more practical solution.
However, if you live in an older home or have just completed a renovation, you might not have ductwork where you want climate control. In this case, installing a mini-split is much less complex and is more affordable than adding in the ductwork required for a heat pump.
Unit Control
Heat pumps are controlled identical to most other central heating and cooling systems: by setting a wall-mounted thermostat installed in a convenient location. On the flip side, ductless mini-splits have a remote that lets you adjust each wall-mounted unit from anywhere in the room.
Zoning
If you’re happy with adjusting the temperature throughout the house using a single thermostat, zoning may not be required. If it is, you can improve home comfort and save energy by heating and cooling separate rooms individually.
Such ‘zoned’ temperature control can be added into a central heat pump system by setting up multiple thermostats and ductwork dampers. But it may be more straightforward and more affordable to install mini-splits in rooms with distinct temperature demands, whether they’re heated and cooled by a central HVAC system or not.
Design Adaptability
Heat pumps don’t focus on flexibility. Instead, they can replace your existing furnace and air conditioner and offer whole-house comfort with help from a network of air ducts.
Mini-splits have more choices for where you can put the unit. Homeowners can install one in a single room that you would otherwise find difficult to keep comfortable. You can mount one in a modified garage or sunroom without adding more ductwork. You can also install a mini-split air handler in each room, all hooked up to the outdoor condensing unit for cost-effective operation.
Energy Efficiency
Modern heat pumps are more efficient than ever. There are even cold-climate versions available for a performance boost at low temperatures.
Even so, ductless mini-splits are basically more efficient because they don’t suffer the energy losses affiliated with leaky ductwork. A typical home squanders more than 20% of the air passing through the ductwork to spotty air sealing or a lack of insulation. This means that a mini-split is likely to provide the same quantity of hot or cold air at a lower cost.
Appearance
Heat pumps look similar to central AC units. The outdoor unit is nearly indistinguishable, and the indoor air handler is within a utility closet or space in the basement.
In contrast, mini-splits are easier to spot. The air handlers come in sleek jackets designed to be inconspicuous, but they are clearly visible in any room in which they are installed on the wall or ceiling.
Schedule Heat Pump or Mini-Split Installation
Whatever you decide to do, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning can complete the professional installation you want. Our techs are ready to deliver excellent products and services backed by our one-year 100% satisfaction guarantee. To learn more about heat pumps vs. mini-splits or request an installation estimate, please contact your nearby Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning office today.