A ductless air conditioner shares a variety of similarities when compared to a central system. Ductless air conditioners are engineered to extract the hot or humid air from your house. Once the heat is collected by the ductless system, it is transported to the air outside. The main discrepancy between ductless and central air conditioning systems is the distribution of cold air. A ductless air conditioner is designed to provide cold and refreshing air to a single area of your house. On the other hand, a central HVAC system utilizes air ducts to deliver cold air to each room in your home. To help you understand how a ductless air conditioner works, we have summarized the main components and benefits of this type of HVAC system.
3 Main Hardware Components of a Ductless Air Conditioner
Indoor Blower & Evaporator System
The blower and evaporator system is engineered to collect hot and moist air from a small or large room in your house. This indoor system is small and can be configured on the wall in your room. Once the unit collects the hot air, it utilizes a fan to send it to a set of evaporator coils that are filled with refrigerant. As the warm and humid air arrives at the coils, the heat is extracted by the refrigerant and is transferred to the outdoor unit. Next, the leftover cold air is distributed to your room.
If you have a large number of rooms in your house, you may decide to invest in a couple of indoor evaporator systems to maintain a comfortable temperature. Ductless mini-split air conditioners are becoming a popular option for homeowners that are looking to eliminate issues produced by traditional air ducts. These issues include contaminated air, leaks, and loud noises. Ductless mini-split systems are designed to produce minimal noise during the standard cold air production process. In addition, ductless systems can be more efficient when compared to central air conditioning systems.
Conduit Tube
The refrigerant travels through a long tube that connects the indoor evaporator system to the outdoor condenser unit. This tube also includes an electrical cable to distribute electricity to the indoor and outdoor systems. If your ductless air conditioner is not working, this issue may be caused by a damaged conduit tube.
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Outdoor Condenser System
The condenser is a small to medium sized box that is installed in your yard. The outdoor condenser system is engineered to collect the warm and humid air from your house. Once the condenser receives refrigerant from the conduit tube, it circulates the excess heat and moisture to the outdoor air.
The condenser system is equipped with a fan, condensing coils, and a compressor. The compressor is the most important component required to make a ductless mini-split air conditioner work. The job of this piece of equipment is to increase the pressure of the refrigerant. This process is critical to the heat removal process in your home. The outdoor condenser system also includes condensing coils that consist of aluminum fins.
These coils are designed to transform gaseous refrigerant into a high-pressure liquid. The fan inside the condenser system is tasked with collecting the air from the condensing coils and distributing the excess heat to the outdoors.
How Does Refrigerant Remove Heat From a House?
A ductless mini-split air conditioner works by distributing refrigerant between an outdoor condenser unit and an indoor evaporator system. The outdoor condenser unit is equipped with a compressor that is designed to transform low-pressure gas refrigerant into a high-pressure gas. An interior condenser fan is utilized to remove excess heat to increase the pressure of the refrigerant.
The refrigerant is converted from a high-pressure gas to a liquid before it is distributed to the evaporator coils that are located inside the indoor evaporator system. Once the refrigerant reaches the evaporator coils, its pressure rating will begin to decrease. Due to the recent changes in pressure, the liquid refrigerant will begin to absorb excess heat from the air in your home.
Once the air becomes cold, a fan in the indoor evaporator system is activated to distribute cold air in your room. At the end of the cooling process, the refrigerant becomes a low-pressure gas and is transported through a pipe back to the compressor. This cycle is repeated until the temperature in your room matches the settings on your thermostat.
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Benefits of a Mini Split System
Ductless mini-split air conditioners are becoming popular in households that consist of 1 to 2 people. This type of system can help save young married couples money by eliminating the need for expensive air ducts in a house. In addition, mini-split systems are more efficient and may help decrease your monthly utility bills.
Elimination of Air Ducts
Air ducts may be a convenient way to distribute cold air to each room of a home. On the other hand, the total cost of installing ductwork in each room of your house can be extremely expensive. This is because extensive modifications are required to safely install air ducts beneath our flooring.
Endless Installation Configurations
A ductless air conditioner is able to work by mounting it on the floor. On the other hand, this type of system is able to be installed on your wall or ceiling to accommodate the layout of your room or household.
Ease Of Installation
While a central air conditioning system requires the installation of air ducts, a ductless air conditioner is able to work without ductwork and is able to be installed on the ceiling or walls in your house. In addition, a ductless system does not weigh as much. This makes it easier to install in various locations.
Preservation of Cold Air
A major disadvantage of investing in a central air conditioning system includes the usage of air ducts. As the air ducts in your house become older, small holes and cracks will begin to form. This will allow cold air to leak into uninsulated areas of your house. On the other hand, a ductless air conditioner works without air ducts by delivering cold air directly to your room. Investing in a mini-split system may help you save money by eliminating cold air loss.
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Heating & Cooling Services
Do you have additional questions about how ductless air conditioners work in homes? Give our team a call by phone at (484) 206-8594 or book an appointment online to learn more about HVAC systems. The team of licensed technicians at WM Henderson provide dependable ductless mini-split installation services to homes in areas of Pennsylvania such as Coatesville, Conshohocken, Broomall, and West Chester. Our team also provides other types of HVAC services such as air conditioning repair, heat pump installation, and furnace tune-up. WM Henderson has been providing residents with efficient and professional services since 1977.