Split Unit Air Conditioner Disadvantages Versus Mini Split Units

Are you looking for information on split unit air conditioners? Are you looking to buy a split air conditioner? If so you have come to the right place. The reason many people are looking into regular and mini split units is because these days people look harder when they are looking to buy or upgrade a home. When the money is tight, it really makes sense to consider not only the cost of the home and the cost of the financing of the home but also the ongoing maintenance and operating costs. In this review we will present three disadvantages of buying or using a single, large, split unit air conditioner, versus buying mini splits. The disadvantages are: Higher operating costs, Less control over the individual room temperatures, and Energy losses.

Higher operating costs

When you are controlling the climate of the entire house from a single location, you will likely be overshooting on supplying the heat to one area and under serving another. To generate optimal comfort in the room that you are spending time in, other rooms will be either too hot or too cold. This will lead to higher operating costs. Some people report costs of $300-$900 per month to cool the whole house down in the summer. This is a big deal and air conditioning costs, especially in the summer and winter, are the biggest part of house maintenance costs.

Less control over the individual room temperatures

Imagine having just one main switch to operate the air conditioning in the entire single family residence. Now imagine how people are different. Just look at your family members! They all have different comfort levels. Unless each individual has the control of the climate in their own room, there will always be some who will root for a higher setting, and others will root for lower setting. But with several mini split units, each room or "zone" (part of the room, or several adjacent spaces), will have its own controls, not only of the temperature of the air blowing out, but also of the direction of the cold air. Some people just prefer a nice breeze, and some want still, stationary air. With mini split units you can accommodate both.

Energy losses

Using a central split unit air conditioner will require longer ducts for the conditioned air from the split unit air conditioner condenser to reach the destination. The ducts can be a significant sink of energy, especially when they have to traverse places where extreme temperatures can develop, such as an attic in the summer. Energy losses associated with the ducts can significantly contribute to operating costs. With mini split unit models, however, such energy losses are minimized assuming good design. The distance between the outside unit and the inside unit can be made very short and the refrigerator hoses will well insulated, leading to reduced energy losses during heat transfer.