Ductless heating and cooling systems (a.k.a. ductless mini split heat pumps) operate in a similar fashion to a standard central heat pump: they circulate refrigerant between indoor and outdoor units, and the evaporation and condensation along the coils moves heat from one location to another. For heating, the systems absorb heat from the outside air and then move it to the indoor units where it is released to warm up the inside of homes.
The difference between ductless mini splits and standard heat pumps is the delivery system for the conditioned air. Where a standard heat pump uses a single indoor unit, which is hooked up to the ventilation system, a ductless mini split heat pump has multiple smaller indoor units, or blowers, mounted in different rooms throughout a house. The blowers send the conditioned air straight into the rooms, bypassing the need for ductwork.
Does this difference mean that ductless systems have different repair requirements? Yes, but only to a limited extent, as we’ll explain. Whatever ductless heating repairs you need to keep your system running, call G&S Heating, Cooling & Electrical, Inc. today.
The Repair Needs of Ductless Systems
Most of the standard repairs for a central heat pump with ducts apply to a ductless system as well because both are heat pumps. The outdoor units are identical. Ductless systems can need fan repairs, motor replacements, coil cleanings, refrigerant recharging, and electrical re-wiring.
There are a few differences, however:
- Ductless systems do not need duct repairs: The lack of ductwork gives a ductless mini split heat pump a great advantage: no need to worry about sealing duct breaks—or any duct repairs!
- Outdoor line repair: Each of the blowers in a ductless system hooks up to the outdoor unit separately with a bundled refrigerant, condensate, and power line. This means that a ductless system has a higher chance of developing problems with these connections, while a standard system only has one bundle of lines to worry about.
- Blower unit mounting: The indoor blower units can sometimes experience condensate or refrigerant leaks that get between the wall and the back of the unit. This can create damage to the wall and may even cause the unit to fall from its mounting. During regular maintenance, a technician will inspect the blower units to make sure there is no danger of any of the units falling from the walls.
Ducts or No Ducts… Call for Repair Professionals
Heat pumps of any type are complex machines and need special training to handle correctly. Don’t try to troubleshoot problems on your own; leave the cabinets closed and don’t climb a step ladder to fiddle with the blowers. Instead, call G&S Heating, Cooling & Electrical, Inc. and talk to our experts in ductless heating repairs in Mill Creek, WA. We have worked on heat pumps of all types since 1977.
