You’ve probably heard about ductless mini-splits if you’re considering upgrading your heating and cooling system. These systems are becoming increasingly popular across Arizona, especially in places like Camp Verde where the climate is well-suited to heat pump technology. Before making the switch, it’s essential to understand mini-splits, how they compare to traditional HVAC systems, and what advantages they might offer.
How Traditional Heat Pumps Work
Before discussing why ductless mini-splits are a good fit for Camp Verde homes, it’s helpful to understand how traditional heat pumps work since mini-splits use the same technology. Heat pumps are one of the more common HVAC systems in Arizona because they can provide both heating and cooling in a single unit.
Another reason heat pumps are widely used in Arizona is they’re most efficient in moderate climates. During extremely cold weather, a heat pump’s ability to extract heat from outdoor air drops. This can reduce overall performance and increase energy usage. That’s not usually a concern in Camp Verde, where winter temperatures tend to stay above freezing.
Heat pumps are also popular because they are energy-efficient in the winter. They do not generate heat the way a furnace does. Instead, they work by transferring heat from one place to another. A heat pump pulls heat from inside your home and moves it outside to cool your space or brings heat in from the outdoor air to warm your home. This process uses far less energy than burning fossil fuels.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a modern heat pump can deliver up to three times more heating energy than the electricity it consumes. In contrast, most traditional furnaces hover around 80% efficiency. This efficiency gap can translate into meaningful savings on your energy bills.
Ductless Mini-Splits
When our professionals install a mini-split system, the first step is evaluating your home’s layout and identifying which areas need heating and cooling. Each zone usually gets its own air handler, allowing for independent temperature control in different rooms. This planning stage helps ensure the system is properly sized for your home, which is important for both comfort and efficiency.
Once the design is finalized, we mount the indoor units on your walls or ceilings, depending on your preference. We aim to place each unit in a spot where it can distribute air evenly without taking away from the aesthetics of your home.
Next, we drill a small hole, usually about three inches in diameter, through the exterior wall near each indoor unit. This allows us to run a conduit to the outdoor compressor. The conduit includes refrigerant lines, electrical wiring, and a condensate drain. Because the hole is small and precise, the installation is far less disruptive than installing ductwork.
The outdoor unit is then set in place, often on a concrete pad or wall bracket, to keep it level and stable. It’s positioned to allow proper airflow and so that it’s easy to get to for maintenance. Once all the lines are connected, we power up the system and check that each indoor unit responds properly to its controls.
Finally, we walk homeowners through how to operate the system and keep it running efficiently. This includes showing you how to clean the reusable filters in the indoor units, which should be done every few weeks to maintain good airflow and air quality.
The Benefits of Ductless Mini-Split Systems
If you’re considering upgrading your HVAC system or adding climate control to a new space, a ductless mini-split might be the right fit. Below are some of the most important benefits homeowners can expect.
Zoned Temperature Control
Traditional central HVAC systems push conditioned air from a single source through a network of ducts, distributing it evenly to every room. While closing vents in unused rooms is possible, doing so can disrupt the system’s airflow balance and reduce its overall efficiency. Creating true zoning in a central system typically requires additional components like dampers and zone control panels, which can be costly and complex to install.
On the other hand, ductless mini-splits are designed for zoned temperature control right from the start. Each indoor air handler operates independently, allowing you to adjust the temperature in each room or zone to match your preferences. If one room is frequently unoccupied, you can simply turn that unit off without affecting comfort elsewhere in the house.
This level of control is especially helpful if you have family members who prefer their bedroom to be warmer or cooler than the rest of the home. It also allows you to reduce energy use by only conditioning the spaces you’re actively using rather than heating or cooling the entire home at once.
No Inefficient Ductwork
Ductwork is one of the most common sources of energy loss in traditional HVAC systems. As conditioned air travels through ducts, it can lose heat or coolness before it even reaches your living areas. This is especially problematic when ducts are routed through unconditioned spaces like attics or crawl spaces.
Leaks, gaps, or poor insulation in the ductwork can also allow air to escape entirely. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that typical duct systems lose 20% to 30% of the air that moves through them due to leaks, holes, and poorly connected ducts.
Mini-split systems avoid these issues altogether. Because the air handlers deliver conditioned air directly into each room without relying on ducts, there’s no opportunity for temperature loss or air leaks along the way. This improves overall system performance and can contribute to lower monthly utility costs.
Homeowners also save on maintenance costs by going ductless. Traditional ductwork needs regular inspections, cleaning, and sealing. By eliminating ducts entirely, mini-splits remove that entire category of upkeep, which can lead to fewer maintenance headaches and lower long-term expenses.
More Filters Mean Better Air Quality
Filters in traditional HVAC systems prevent dust and debris from entering the system and damaging internal components. They also play an important role in maintaining indoor air quality by removing airborne contaminants from recirculating through your living spaces. Mini-split systems work similarly because each indoor unit has a built-in filter to protect the components and catch particles in the air.
What sets mini-split systems apart is the number of filters involved. Because each air handler operates independently and has its own filter, mini-splits filter your indoor air in multiple areas of your home rather than relying on one centralized filter. This means more frequent filtration throughout your living space, which can result in cleaner air overall. This benefits households concerned about respiratory issues such as allergies, asthma, or sensitivities to dust and pet dander.
Contact Your Local Professionals
At Goettl's High Desert Mechanical, we have been serving the residents of Camp Verde and the surrounding areas since 1987. We install heating and cooling systems, including mini-splits. We can also help with all your HVAC system maintenance and repair needs. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced team members.
