Many homeowners without ducts try alternative cooling options like window air conditioners to keep rooms cool. But the cooling capacity of these units is generally low, meaning they cannot always effectively cool an entire room. Plus, these units are often noisy and cost a lot of money to run, particularly if you want to cool down several rooms at once.
Ductless air conditioning is the perfect solution for homes that don’t have any ductwork set up in the home already. While it may be possible for you to add ductwork to your older home or new room extension, this is a big job that may be quite the hassle. Installing ductwork is an extensive process that involves major home renovations, while the only renovation an AC technician makes to install a ductless system is a small hole drilled into the wall for the refrigerant line.
Just like any conventional air conditioner, a ductless air conditioner contains indoor and outdoor components that work together to cool the home. Refrigerant moves through the system, absorbing heat from your home and releasing it outdoors. Outside, the condenser unit contains the compressor, the condenser coil, and a large outdoor fan. First, refrigerant reaches the compressor as a low-pressure gas and is compressed into a gas at extremely high pressure and heat. Next, refrigerant moves to the condenser coil. As the outdoor fan blows over the coil, refrigerant condenses into a liquid, and the fan helps heat to dissipate into the air.
The indoor portion of a ductless AC, however, differs from the indoor portion of most central air conditioners. An air handler is mounted high on the wall or on the ceiling. Here, the evaporator converts refrigerant into a gas, and it absorbs heat from the air as a blower fan moves warm air over the coil. Rather than use the ducts to distribute the cool air, the fan blows air directly from the handler. While you may need several air handlers to cool an entire home, each unit has its own thermostat, so you can control the temperature in one room independently of the others.
Because ductless air conditioning systems are also very energy efficient, they may be the perfect solution for many homes. If you want more information about ductless air conditioning in Lynnwood, call the dependable experts at G&S Heating, Cooling & Electrical, Inc. today!
