Do you have a room or addition to your Southwest Florida home that never gets as cool as it should? Do you have a huge, window air conditioner that is noisy and blocks the view? Is the upstairs of your home difficult to cool? An answer to all those problems can come from installing ductless mini-split air conditioning.

Ductless mini splits have been gaining in popularity. They have been in use for years in Japan, where land and outside space is limited for large heat pumps or central-air units. Mini splits are compact, efficient and do not use ducts to deliver cool air.

Ductless mini splits consist of two components: an inside air-handling unit and a compact outdoor compressor and condenser. The interior part is generally mounted on a wall where it will generate the best cooling. The outside section can be placed up to 50 feet away from the inside section. The two components are connected by a simple 3-inch opening through the wall.

The ductless mini-split air conditioning system is sized for the area to be cooled. Smaller spaces will require fewer BTU’s than larger areas. Sizing the unit assures the best efficiency by not using more power than is needed.

They offer great flexibility in adapting to different room and home situations. Some systems are capable of using only one outside component to handle up to four inside units which can be run independently with their own thermostat. Other options include units which can be ceiling or wall-mounted, and floor models are also available.

If you would like an different option to the noise of a window unit or you have rooms that are never cool enough, contact us at ConditionedAir. We can give you all the details on this great cooling system.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about ductless mini split air conditioning and other HVAC topics, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Conditioned Air services Southwest Florida including cities Marco Island, Ft. Myers or anywhere in between.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.

Is the cost to operate your central air becoming a burden?  When run every day, your A/C could set you back an average of about $200 each month.  Air conditioning costs homeowners, and the nation in general, a significant amount of energy.  In fact, 5% of all energy produced in the U.S. is used for air conditioning.  Of course, staying cool in a warm climate is not just a luxury for many people- it’s a necessity.  So, keeping our A/C units turned off in order to save money is not a good option here in sunny Florida.

A lot of our customers ask us how they can lower their air conditioning costs.  The fact is, running your air conditioning does not have to break the budget.  You just have to make sure to operate your unit efficiently so that you get the best performance for your energy dollars.  In our experience, the way to do that is to follow some easy steps.  Here’s how to save 20-50% on your costs:

1.  Regular maintenance- This is something you can do yourself or have a professional take care of for you.  When you keep your A/C well-maintained, you’re increasing its efficiency by up to 30%.  Our inspections generally include:

– Filters- Dirty filters are a major cause of inefficient operation.  You can save 5-15% in energy usage just by cleaning your filters regularly.

– Fins- Coil fins can become bent over time, and this keeps air from flowing properly.  Your technician can straighten then out during scheduled maintenance, or you can use a fin comb to do it yourself.

– Ducts- Gaps in your ductwork lower efficiency by allowing up to 20% of conditioned air to leak out.  Check your ductwork and seal up any leaks so your A/C doesn’t have to work harder than necessary.

– Drains- Drains keep water and humidity from building up in your system and your home.  Clogged drains allow moisture to accumulate, so be sure to check your drains and clean them out at least twice a year.

– Coils- Your unit’s condensor and evaporator coils absorb heat from your home, so they need to remain free from dirt and debris.  Check both the indoor and outdoor units and clean them regularly.

2.  Proper operation- Maintenance is one way to save money on air conditioning costs.  It’s also important to properly operate your system.  Don’t leave doors or windows open while running your A/C, and make sure the thermostat is set correctly.  If your A/C unit can’t sense the temperature of the air coming into the coils, it won’t run efficiently.

3. Get an energy-efficient unit- Whether you’re installing a new A/C system or replacing on old one, an energy-efficient model will save you money.  For instance, Energy Star units not only offer savings of up to $200 per year, they also may qualify you for tax credits of up to $1,500.

Air conditioning costs can be managed, simply by keeping your system in good repair and making wise choices about how you operate your system.  Next time, we’ll talk about ventilating to keep your home and family cool when the temperature soars.