Wall vs Ceiling Mounted? Ducted or Ductless? Which is right for your home?
So many questions! Choosing the right HVAC system can be overwhelming with all of the options these days. How can you ever choose? When deciding on the best system for your home, consider these main factors: price, functionality, your cooling needs, room size & layout, and even your aesthetic preferences.
- Wall Mounted Mini-Splits. These are typically more cost-effective, in most cases and the most common units. They consume less power which leads to reduced utility bills.
- Faster & less work for the installation plus fewer components (which means both less maintenance & opportunities for failure). Easier accessible for maintenance or cleaning (when needed).
- They require less space than ceiling units, though take up more space inside the rooms.
- These are connected directly to the outside so no ductwork needed!
- Unfortunately, they can be more noisy (depending on certain brands).
- They are designed to cool or heat specific areas so they use less energy than a HVAC for the home, but have limited air distribution.
- Ceiling Mounted Mini-Splits
- These are installed on the ceiling (obviously), so they take up much less space in the room & are much more inconspicuous.
- Installation can take longer & is much more restrictive as they require at least 22.5in of clearing space in the ceiling cavity. Certain brands/types can fit within 16inch joists (IE: Mitsubishi’s MLZ Series).
- Requires a side access panel.
- These are typically more expensive & more difficult to install, but are generally much quieter.
- Ideal for bigger rooms or open floorplans as they offer simultaneous multi-zone cooling (IE: one can control each unit/the whole home temperature instead of having to set each unit individually like the wall mounted option). On the flip side, they aren’t as efficient in smaller/individual cooling zones.
- Better air circulation & air movement overall which leads to less stagnate air pockets or odor build ups within homes.
- These units have an inverter so it controls the refrigerant & the air flow.
- Multi directional air flow rather than just blowing all air in one direction.
- These are installed on the ceiling (obviously), so they take up much less space in the room & are much more inconspicuous.
- Ducted Mini-Split
- The most aesthetically pleasing option compared to other mini-splits.
- Better indoor air quality in general & completely quiet.
- Can utilize existing HVAC ducting easing the installation process or designed with a new construction home.
- Biggest benefit to this system vs other mini-splits is availability to individually cool rooms rather relying on thermostat location (IE: the downstairs will be substantially colder if trying to cool the upstairs to a certain temperature).