What is a Mini Split Air Conditioner?
For small apartments without a central air conditioning system, a good choice is the mini split air conditioner. This is also ideal for additional rooms in the house or in the office.
A mini split air conditioner is a miniaturized central air conditioning system. It has two major components. One component is situated outside the house or office. This outdoor unit composes of the compressor and condenser. The second component which is the air handler is located indoors. A tubing channel connects the two components. It houses the suction tubing, refrigerant tubing, power cable, and a condensate drain.
Handy as it is, the mini split conditioner has many advantages. Its miniaturized size is the main advantage. Its sleek build can be placed unnoticeable in a place ideally blending in with the interior design of the home. It may be hung on the ceiling or mounted on a drop ceiling, or mounted on the wall, or just left standing on the floor. Also, mini splits are very flexible for heating or cooling and zoning individual rooms as compared to other air conditioning models with only single air handling units. Mini splits have an average of four indoor air handlers that are all connected to only one compressor-condenser unit outdoors. To easily turn the system on and off, the models are equipped with remote controls.
This kind of system helps save energy and most importantly, money. With its thermostatic control in each room or zone, air conditioning only happens when someone is in the place. As compared with ducted air conditioners, mini splits avoid loss of energy. This is because ducted systems like central air conditioners condition rooms simultaneously. So even if a room is unoccupied, the room is still conditioned which accounts for up to 30% or more energy consumption which adds to your electricity bill.
Since it is ductless, mini split systems are obviously easier to install than other types of air conditioning systems. A hook-up for the indoor and outdoor units is just what is needed. Cutting a hole in the wall; two to three inch diameter is enough.
Moreover, split-systems are safer security because it requires a small hole in the wall as compared with window mounted and through-the-wall air-conditioners which allow easy entrance for intruders.
On the negative side, mini split air conditioners are more expensive. It costs about $1,500-$2,000 per ton of cooling capacity which is about 30% more than central systems excluding ductwork and twice as much as window units of similar capacity. Also, the air handler should be correct in size or it will result in short-cycling and wasting energy and thus not providing desired temperature and humidity control. And then, there should be an area near the outdoor unit to drain the condensate.
Qualified installers may not be easy to find. They are the ones running the lines for the electricity, coolant, and drainage. A professional HVAC contractor is also needed to charge the system with the right amount of coolants.