Split air conditioners use one duct system to heat or cool a room. This saves space as there is only one system and not two or more units. These units are also known as split air conditioners (SAAs), or split cooling units, (SCUs). Because of their size and versatility, they can be used in small or restricted rooms.
Split air conditioners include an indoor unit and an outside unit. The indoor unit can be placed on or near the wall of the space that you wish to cool. This unit includes the compressor, condensing and expansion units as well as the capillary tubing or capillary tubing. The compressor and all other indoor components are not required for units that are placed inside walls or other enclosed areas.
Split air conditioners require that you divide the space you wish to heat or cool into single-stream zones. This type of unit can be used to divide rooms in your home that share the same air conditioning ductwork. This allows the room to have a consistent air flow regardless of the conditions. However, the window unit can still cool in one direction only – up.
Before you buy a split AC system, you must identify the existing duct system.
You can do this by consulting your HVAC technician or a heat pump repair specialist. If you don’t have an expert yet, ask someone who is familiar with the ins and outs of your current HVAC system. He can explain the difference between your existing indoor unit and your new outdoor unit.
Your existing HVAC system probably consists of two ducts – an inside and outside duct. Split air conditioners can be used in homes that have split heating and cooling. Your existing system uses split air conditioning ducts with the air conditioning unit placed inside the wall. The outdoor duct is used for cooling your house’s exterior, while the indoor unit is used for cooling your rooms.
Split systems come with two options for ductwork.
You can have your split system with or without a split unit. If you already have a split air conditioner, you may choose to buy a head unit separately. Split head units have their own ductwork, so you won’t need to install the whole system if you don’t already have one. Split head ductwork can also be added to an existing HVAC system by qualified technicians.
Split cooling and/or heat ducts are used in most homes today. This is because it’s more cost effective to do so instead of tearing everything out and installing new ductwork. A split system will save you money in the long-term as it reduces the need for central air conditioner contractors in the future. When you start to notice that the cooling solution is becoming hot, just flip the switch on your split unit to switch to the non-split heating ducts. You can also turn it off by flipping the switch on your split unit.
Ask your contractor if your home has split ducts if you are thinking of installing an HVAC system. They will most likely be able to help you determine whether you need a new duct or not and how to replace the existing one. You should also consider the size of your family. If you only have a small family, then a small split unit might just be enough.
