Factors to Help You Choose Split System or Ducted Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning
Do you wonder whether a split system or ducted reverse-cycle air conditioner would be better for your home? Here are two factors to consider when making a decision.
The Size of Your Home
One factor to think about when choosing one unit over the other is your home's size. A ducted system has tubes that run through the ceiling cavity, leading to the room vents. These ducts can deliver heating and cooling to multiple rooms, wherever they lead. Thus, ducted air conditioning is ideal if you want to encompass a large house; you can enjoy feeling relaxed in all rooms.
A split-system reverse-cycle air conditioner is set up differently. These systems have an evaporator unit fitted inside every room you want to heat or cool. Each of these units connects to an outdoor condenser. If you want to cover ten rooms, for example, this may not be the most practical system, as it will entail several outdoor units. A ducted system only needs one.
However, a split system is ideal if you have fewer rooms in your home or if you only want to cool selected areas. In that case, it may not be worth building a duct network to only cover a limited area.
The Installation Scope
Another factor to consider is the scope of the installation. A ducted unit involves more infrastructure than a split system. For a ducted setup, the indoor unit will often be put in the crawl space, suspended from the roof rafters. If they're not strong enough, extra reinforcement may be needed.
Additionally, the contractors will build a network of ducts and vents. Each room vent will require a hole to be cut into the ceiling or wall. While construction is involved, it creates a valuable piece of lasting infrastructure that usually increases a home's value. Plus, the ducts will be used in all seasons for both heating and cooling, and they won't sit idle.
The installation of a split-system unit is generally quite straightforward. The evaporator will be fitted indoors on the wall, and the outdoor condenser will be placed in the yard, as it is with a ducted system.
For a split system, small holes will be made in the wall, through which the refrigerated coils can be fed to connect the indoor and outdoor units. Plus, a drainage tube will be established to take the drips of moisture from the unit outside. Compared to building a ducted network, this setup is relatively quick, and you'll go through less inconvenience.
Things can get somewhat more complicated if you install several split systems or a multi-split system, which has one outdoor unit to service several indoor evaporators. For more information on heating and cooling systems, contact an HVAC contractor near you.