Will a mini split keep my home warm in the winter and cool in the summer?

Comfort in every room of your house is a top priority for homeowners. Especially Minnesota homeowners who deal with wide temperature swings throughout the year. So, someone who is considering buying a mini-split is right to ask, “Will this keep my home comfortable in all seasons?”

What is a mini-split? 

A mini-split is a type of heat pump (also known as a ductless heat pump). Heat pumps work by gathering and transferring heat energy. They provide cooling by transferring heat energy from inside to outside, and heating by transferring heat energy from outside to inside. The process is like an air conditioner that runs in reverse. Additionally, heat pumps provide reliable dehumidification and help improve indoor air quality. This is an energy efficient technology that can provide cooling at twice the efficiency of traditional window unit air conditioners. Plus, they can significantly reduce heating costs and even have the potential to reduce cooling costs.  This provides better energy savings, more comfort, and lower carbon emissions.

When does a mini-split work best?

Mini-splits are a great way to provide supplementary heating and cooling if the rooms in your house have large temperature swings or get uncomfortably humid. Mini-splits are most often used if your home has radiators or baseboard heating instead of ductwork. Unlike a ducted system, which serves the whole house at once, a mini-split can provide zonal control, allowing you to control the heating and cooling of an individual room or portions of your home. High efficiency inverter units offer the best performance, but even a basic heat pump will be more comfortable to use than a window air conditioner or space heater.  

As an example, picture a two-story house with radiators and a thermostat on the first floor. In this house, the radiators on the second floor won’t provide as much heat as the radiators on the first floor. This is because when the first floor reaches the temperature setpoint from the thermostat, the boiler shuts off before the second-floor radiators have caught up, leading to hot and cold spots throughout the house. Mini-splits, by using zonal controls that operate independently, solve this issue. Adding a mini=split allows the homeowner to set the room’s temperature to whatever feels best.

Is a mini-split right for you?

To learn more about heat pumps, continue exploring News & Case Studies or visit the FAQs page. If you have further questions, contact us at info@mnashp.org.