October 9, 2015

How Ductless Heat Pumps Work?

It is estimated that a ductless heat pump can save you up to 40 percent on your energy bills!

The use of ductless heat pumps in St. Louis area homes and offices is a relatively new trend. Previously, almost all heating and cooling systems would have some ducts. While ducts help achieve uniform heating and cooling throughout the entire home, they generally consume more energy than the ductless systems consume. In fact, a heating or cooling system may lose around 15 to 20 percent of its efficiency while the hot or cool air flows through the pipes to the ducts. This means that using ductless heat pumps will help you save a lot on your energy bills.

A ductless heat pump system comes with an outdoor and an indoor unit. The outdoor unit contains the compressor or condenser, while the indoor unit consists of air handlers that are installed in the areas to be cooled or heated. You will also find portable floor units that do not require installation. The outdoor unit is connected to the indoor unit with conduits, which contain condensate drains, refrigerant tubing, power cables, and suction tubing. The indoor unit works as an alternative to the ducts.

The cooling and heating mechanism used by a ductless heat pump is quite similar to that of a traditional heat pump, with the only difference that ductless pumps are do not require ductwork and an additional interior unit. Both types of heat pumps work by heating up the air and distributing the hot air through well-mounted units. When it comes to cooling, the compressor in the outdoor unit produces cool air, which is then passed through the refrigerant tubing to the indoor units. The cool air then passes through the filter and evaporator coil to the rooms or areas to be cooled. A heat pump can also help to lower the humidity of a room, thus maintaining a comfortable temperature inside the room, even during the summer.

A ductless heat pump heats or cools a particular area in your home rather than cooling or heating the entire home. This is also known as a “zone” system cooling or heating. You can install as many indoor units as you need in different parts of your home, with every unit having a separate thermostat. This means that you can control the temperature of each unit individually. Depending on your requirements, you can lower the temperature of a certain indoor unit and set another unit’s thermostat at a higher temperature. This flexibility gives ductless heat pumps an edge over the heat pumps that come with ducts. Moreover, ductless heat pumps are generally more energy-efficient. It is estimated that a ductless heat pump can save up to 40 percent of your energy bills. It is also easy to install a ductless system because it does not require any ductwork.