Myths About Ductless Heat Pumps—Here’s the Truth
We love helping customers discover the usefulness of ductless heat pumps in Tacoma, WA. We know the numerous benefits that ductless heating and cooling can offer homeowners, especially for people who never thought they could enjoy central heating and cooling in their homes without having to make extensive and expensive remodeling changes.
However, ductless heat pumps are still not widespread enough that they can overcome several myths people have about them. Ductless systems have conquered Europe and Japan, but in the US they still have to deal with misunderstandings that often stop homeowners who would otherwise benefit from making the change.
We want to put to rest the biggest of these myths …
“Ductless systems are ugly in a house”
A ductless heat pump sends cooled and heated air into rooms through units installed on the walls rather than through small vents connected to ducts. These units are more noticeable than vents, but they’re certainly not ugly. They have sleek designs and come in a variety of styles to fit any home. They’re placed high on the walls and look far better than bulky, light-blocking window units. People get used to indoor units fast, especially when they see all the other benefits.
“A ductless system can’t deal with the cold”
This myth comes out of a general misunderstanding about heat pumps. Because heat pumps must draw on thermal energy from outdoors during the winter, it’s easy to understand why people might think they can’t cut it as a heater. But current ductless heat pump technology allows a heat pump to work efficiently and effectively in temperatures below freezing. They’re perfectly suited to our winters in Tacoma.
“Ductless systems are too noisy”
Each ductless heat pump wall unit contains a blower fan, which means putting the fan in the room rather than in a single cabinet located in the basement or the garage. And there’s some truth to the idea of the noisy heat pump—but not anymore. Technology has lowered the noise levels of blower motors, and the motors used in ductless units are much smaller than standard heat pump motors. You get less noise from a ductless system than a window unit.
“Ductless systems take too long to heat or cool a house”
A ductless heat pump has automatic zone control: instead of heating or cooling the entire house when it turns on, a ductless system only needs to work in the rooms that need it. This is one of the big benefits of going ductless, because it lowers energy bills. But it also makes people think the system can’t heat or cool the home fast enough. It’s true that heat pumps aren’t like a furnace or standard AC that comes blasting on—but if you know how best to set the units in the house, you’ll have the same speed and distribution of comfort. It’s an adjustment, but any new technology has a bit of a learning curve. And the savings and convenience make it all worth it.
Resicon LLC is committed to improving the lives of our customers. Request a free consultation about ductless heat pumps—we’d love to talk to you about the possibilities.