Summer is here and the heat is on! This is when you need your air conditioning to be at its best. However, if you have an older home, then you might think that the old, noisy window units are your only option. Think again!
Now you don’t have to choose between the charming look of your historic home and staying cool and dry even on the hottest, stickiest days of the summer. While your home might not have the space to install the bulky ductwork of traditional central air conditioning without marring its vintage look and original architectural details, your home is still a prime candidate for ductless air conditioning.
What Is Ductless Air Conditioning?
Ductless AC is an air conditioning system that doesn’t require ripping into walls, wainscoting, wood floors and plaster ceilings to install supply and return ducts and air registers that central AC requires.
Instead, ductless air conditioning systems, aka mini-split systems, employ two separate units: a small individual indoor cooling unit and a larger outdoor compressor unit. Several indoor units are typically installed high on a wall in various designated rooms of the home. The compressor is usually installed on a concrete slab just outside the home.
A conduit housing the power cable, refrigerant tubing, suction tubing and a condensate drain is fed between the units and the compressor via small holes measuring roughly three inches in diameter in the walls where the units are placed.
How Ductless Air Conditioning Works
Ductless air conditioning systems are relatively quiet because the compressor is located outside and the evaporator unit’s fan generally runs at a low speed.
Together the outdoor compressor unit and the refrigerant stored inside produces cool air when the units are turned on. Cool air and electricity follow the conduit to the indoor units, which distribute the cool air via the fan while hot air and any condensation are pumped back outside.
Certain filters add additional humidity control for some units, and variable-speed, high-efficiency fans are also available.
The ductless AC systems that you can obtain from Tragar Oil, your Long Island green energy company, have the added feature of being able to heat your home in the colder months, thanks to heat pumps that can be added to your system.
Why Ductless AC Works for Older Homes on Long Island
Ductless, mini-split air conditioning systems are an ideal option for Long Island homeowners who own older, historic homes that lack the space to accommodate a conventional ducted system.
Homes lacking existing HVAC air ducts because they have hydronic (hot water heat), radiant panels and space heaters (wood, propane or kerosene) can also benefit from safer, more energy-efficient ductless mini-split air conditioners (and ductless mini-split heat pumps).
Ductless Air Conditioning is also a good choice for room additions where extending or installing distribution ductwork for central air conditioning or heating systems isn’t feasible. It can also take care of areas of your home that suffer from hot (or cold) spots.
Advantages of Ductless Air Conditioning
There are many advantages of ductless a/c that go beyond the simple installation procedures and space consciousness it provides homeowners.
For example, “since mini splits have no ducts, they avoid the energy losses associated with ductwork of central forced air systems. Duct losses can account for more than 30% of energy consumption for space conditioning, especially if the ducts are in an unconditioned space such as an attic,” according to Energy.gov.
Other benefits include quiet and powerful operation, zoned temperature control, flexible installation and improved air quality.
Contact Tragar Oil today to learn more about upgrading to ductless AC. Our green energy experts can also answer any questions about how to save energy and money this summer. Don’t forget to ask about our free, no-obligation quote!
