Look around your neighborhood and you'll find homes of many different styles, sizes, and household sizes. We tailor our homes and spaces to meet the needs of our families, and our homes often evolve from what they started as, with garages and basements having new uses or even additions to accommodate growth.
Different spaces are used in different ways, but we all have a common need – perfect air. As our homes and their uses change, it's time to rethink your air. Expanding your existing HVAC system isn't always a practical answer when you have a space in need of heating and cooling. Look beyond your existing central HVAC system and consider how ductless mini-split solutions are able to meet your household's changing heating and cooling needs.
What Is a Ductless Mini-Split?
A ductless mini-split is an HVAC system that provides an efficient and flexible solution for heating and cooling specific areas of the home. While they can be used as a whole home solution in some regions, ductless mini-splits are commonly utilized for heating and cooling in targeted areas, notably in situations where you have a previously unconditioned area that now needs comfort control.
As you may have guessed from the name, ductless mini-splits do not use ducts. In a traditional forced air HVAC system, a duct system is used to carry conditioned air from the air handler into each room in your home. In a ductless system, each area of the home you want to control is equipped with its own air handling unit, which is installed on the wall or within the ceiling. Each air handler connects to a single outdoor air conditioner or heat pump, which supports multiple ductless mini-split air handlers. You easily control the heating and cooling output in each area.
Why Choose a Ductless Mini-Split?
If your home already has a forced air HVAC system, you might wonder if you can simply tie into this system to heat and cool the new space. This solution isn't always practical or cost-effective for many reasons:
HVAC System Size: Your existing HVAC system is sized to heat and cool your home's existing conditioned areas. When you add a new addition or want to bring heating and cooling to a previously unconditioned area of the home, your heating and cooling load drastically increases. Your existing HVAC system likely does not have the capacity to accommodate this, creating an undersized system and all the issues that come with it if you do tie in.
If it is time to repair or replace your existing systems, it may be smart to upgrade to a higher capacity HVAC system that accommodates the new areas. If your HVAC equipment is newer and running well, an upgrade may not make financial sense.
Ducts: Your new space needs ducts to receive heating and cooling from your existing system. You've created a special space in your home and it's important that you can enjoy perfect air here. In homes with basements, duct runs often sit just below the first floor of the home. Bringing heating and cooling from your existing system to a newly-finished basement that already has these ducts is a feasible solution if your system is able to accommodate the additional heating and cooling load.
If your new area does not have ducts, contact your Lennox® dealer to learn about expanding your current duct system to the area so the existing HVAC system can service this space.
Ductless Mini-Split Options
Where does a ductless mini-split come in handy?
- In an attached or detached garage for year-round comfort when working on projects
- A newly-finished basement, whether it's used for a playroom, theater room, or workout space
- Home additions, like new master suites, family rooms, or even all-season rooms
If you need to cool an all-seasons room addition, a ductless mini-split air conditioner is a good choice. For example, the MCA Mini-Split Air Conditioner from Lennox delivers quiet, efficient cooling for any room. Its 20 SEER cooling efficiency delivers perfectly comfortable air, not wasted energy. The variable-speed design boosts efficiency even further by constantly and precisely adjusting the air based on cooling demand.
For finished basements and new room additions, a mini-split heat pump provides the combination heating and cooling your home needs. Lennox' MPB Mini-Split Heat Pump offers efficient heating and cooling ideal for add-on spaces. For colder climates, Lennox' MLA Cold Climate Mini-Split Heat Pump offers outstanding cold-climate capabilities, operating in temperatures as low as -22°F.
Learn More About Ductless Mini-Split Heating & Cooling Solutions
Get the precise and efficient heating and cooling you need in any area of the home with a ductless mini-split HVAC system. Explore your equipment options and receive expert installation for the long-lasting performance and enjoyment of your new ductless mini-split – contact your local Lennox® dealer today.
