Ductless HVAC

[goofyernmost]

They're actually extremely efficient. I would absolutely dump traditional HVAC systems for these in a heartbeat. This is how they basically work:

Cooling Mode:​

• Step 1: The blower fan in the indoor unit draws warm air from the room and passes it over the evaporator coil.
• Step 2: The evaporator coil, filled with cold refrigerant, absorbs the heat from the air. This causes the refrigerant to evaporate, transforming it into a gas.
• Step 3: The now-cooled air is blown back into the room, reducing the overall temperature.
• Step 4: The gaseous refrigerant travels through the suction line to the outdoor unit.
• Step 5: The compressor in the outdoor unit compresses the gaseous refrigerant, increasing its pressure and temperature.
• Step 6: The hot, high-pressure gas passes through the condenser coil in the outdoor unit, releasing the absorbed heat to the outside air. The refrigerant cools and condenses back into a liquid.
• Step 7: The liquid refrigerant flows back through the liquid line to the indoor unit, ready to repeat the cycle.

Heating Mode (In Heat Pump Systems):​

• Step 1: The process is essentially reversed. The outdoor unit absorbs heat from the outside air, even in cold temperatures.
• Step 2: The refrigerant carries this heat to the indoor unit.
• Step 3: The blower fan distributes the warm air into the room.

Yes, I know how it works, it was more the aesthetics that was throwing me initially. I guess that being able to extract heat from cold air is a little baffling to imagine, it is magically efficient. My apartment is heated by a heat pump and it really doesn't seem to have any issues. Of course since it is in North Carolina, allegedly a southern state, we have a lot warmer cold air. I would be more surprised if it was a big deal up north where fire/electrical based heat is a much bigger requirement.

 

[LoveDaisy]

We did a major remodel last year where we made the garage part of the house. The garage opens into part of the house. Our heat/central runs into the old part of the remodel. It was more cost effective to add a ductless system to the new space. We rarely need it because we do have heat and air in the space but it’s nice for extremely hot and cold days and when we have friends over.

I have friends who have a cape and even with zone thermostats and central ac they struggled to cool the upstairs. They added one and it was a game changer. I would recommend them.