Ductless Heat Pumps 2.0 – Innovations in Heating and Cooling

Ductless heat pumps, also known as ductless mini-split systems, can deliver targeted heating and cooling comfort without invasive ductwork. They can be more efficient and less costly than a ducted system in many ways.

Homeowners can get a lot out of these systems with proper maintenance and professional servicing. They’re ideal for single rooms, additions and zoning solutions in larger homes.

Inverter-Driven Pumps

When it comes to heat pumps, they come in three performance levels: single-stage, 2-stage and variable capacity or modulating. The latter option offers the best performance and energy efficiency.

With fixed output heat pumps, the unit only works at one speed, it’s either on or off. That’s like driving your car at 100 miles per hour, but it only goes up to that speed when passing another vehicle or entering a school zone.

With an inverter-driven system, the pump can run at any capacity in between. That’s how it reduces short-cycling, which takes more energy than it does to keep your home comfortable and also puts more strain on your equipment. That’s why Thermal Earth is proud to offer smart system inverter-driven heat pumps from MasterTherm. The UK-exclusive distributor of this European manufacturer’s products, their inverter technology is proving enormously popular with property owners across Britain.

Enhanced Energy Efficiency

Unlike furnaces, which burn fuel to produce heat, ductless mini-splits use electricity to move heat from one location to another. Because of this, they can be far more energy-efficient than traditional heating and cooling systems.

Ductless systems also offer a number of additional energy-saving features. For example, many are ENERGY STAR rated, meaning that they are eligible for rebates.

Additionally, many are equipped with scroll compressors that are more efficient than piston units. This translates to higher heating efficiency and lower noise levels.

Finally, if you choose to equip your system with a smart AC controller such as Cielo Breez, you can enjoy even more energy-saving features like scheduling, geofencing and Comfy Mode. These functions are activated by temperature and humidity-based triggers, ensuring that your home is always the perfect environment to relax or entertain. Cielo Breez is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri Shortcuts and Samsung SmartThings. In addition, it can be controlled by voice or via the Cielo app.

Increased Humidity Control

In addition to heating and cooling, a ductless heat pump can also act as a dehumidifier. This helps reduce the amount of moisture in your air, which can lead to mildew and mold growth and that musty smell.

This is a great option for people with older homes or room additions that cannot accommodate traditional ducted systems without major invasive changes to the home’s architecture. Ductless systems can heat and cool these spaces with a small indoor unit connected to a outdoor unit via power cables, refrigerant tubing, and suction lines.

The Cielo Breez system uses smart temperature and humidity-based triggers to control the device’s operation. It allows homeowners to set specific temperature and humidity ranges for different rooms, while adjusting automatically to changing conditions in the room. The result is a comfortable and energy-efficient home environment. The system can even be controlled by voice commands or through Siri Shortcuts or Samsung SmartThings. This allows owners to monitor their home environment and adjust accordingly when they are away.

Quiet Operation

A ductless mini-split system’s indoor air handler operates quietly to create a comfortable home environment. This makes it perfect for spaces where ductwork might be hard to install or for areas that are already conditioned with radiant (hydronic) heat, electric baseboards, or space heaters.

The quiet operation of a ductless system is also ideal for media rooms, recording studios, meeting areas or any space where background noise might be a distraction. Compared to traditional ducted systems, the sound level of a modern Mitsubishi Electric ductless heat pump is less than the sound of a human whisper or restaurant conversation.

Ductless heat pumps are easy to install and require little or no changes to the existing structure of your home. With an experienced installer, the entire process can be completed in one day. This is in contrast to a ducted installation, which can take weeks and involve many large structural changes to your house.