Pros and Cons of Ducted over Split System Air Conditioning

When you are selecting an air conditioning system for your home, the choices break down into two groups that offer key features to fit your needs.

The first group is the ducted air conditioners. This air conditioning system utilizes a central cooling and compressor unit that is placed outside of the home and that carries air into the home via a series of ducts and vents. Ducted air-conditioning systems are difficult to install and require lots of planning. If you have a home that does not have an air conditioning ducting system already installed, you will have to put one in, which entails going into the walls and ceilings of your home. This, of course, can get very expensive and can inconvenience you and your family. These systems are great at cooling the entire home, but often electricity costs are high because the units are larger and energy is wasted in areas where cooling is not required.

 A more popular choice for a home air conditioning is a ductless air conditioning system. These systems have two units. A compressor which sits outside a window or wall, and an air conditioning unit that sits on the wall in a room of the home. There are ductless air conditioning systems that serve only one room, and others call split systems that can provide cool air 2 a series of rooms.

Here are the pros and cons of a ducted air conditioning system over a split air conditioning system:

Ducted Air Conditioners

Ducted air conditioning solutions offer many advantages to homeowners, particularly if your home is large. Here are a few of their best features.

They offer entire home heating: Ducted air conditioning can get into every room and area of your home. Ducts can be placed virtually anywhere and supply a constant stream of air.

They are nearly invisible: The ducts that provide air in a ducted AC system are flat with the wall and ceiling so they are hardly visible. Their larger unit is placed on the exterior of the home out of your sight.

Ducted Air conditioners are More Efficient: Ducted air conditioner compressor units are the most efficient types of AC units. They provide lots of air for their cost. They will outlast and provide higher quality air than ductless units which are smaller and less robust. 

You Can Set Split Zones: Today’s best ducted AC systems allow you to run split AC zones around your house meaning you can determine what amount of cool air goes where. This can provide better cooling for you and your family. 

Ducted ACs are best for larger homes where you need cooling provided to multiple or all areas. They are expensive to install and repair and use more electricity than ductless systems. 

Ductless Air Conditioning Systems

Ductless AC systems offer advantages for homeowners who have smaller homes or want to cool specific areas of their home only. 

The Units are Easier to Install: Ductless AC systems place the AC unit on a wall of your home and a compressor unit outside near the AC wall unit. They can be installed in half a day in nearly any room. 

The Units are Cheaper to Buy and Operate: The units are smaller, so they cost less, and they use less electricity than ducted AC systems.

You Can Direct the Air: A split system uses one compressor and several AC units which can be placed in the rooms you want to be cooled. When no one is in that room, the AC unit can be turned off. This ability to direct the air can save lots of money.

Ductless AC systems are not cost-effective for large homes where you will have to buy several complete systems to cool the entire square footage. They also place an AC unit on the wall of each room they cool and this can be unsightly. 

There are great advantages and some disadvantages to each type of AC system. Consider your exact needs when you are looking to purchase one of these systems for Old House Remodelling.