You may have already seen a ductless air conditioning system before, but weren’t sure what it was. If you’ve noticed a unit up on the wall of a room that looks like a sleeker version of a window AC that doesn’t protrude through the back of the wall, that’s an air handler of a ductless air conditioning system—also known as a ductless mini split heat pump. Ductless systems work through these wall units, each of which connects to a single outdoor unit where the heat is exhausted. It’s like a central system, but with the indoor component divided into smaller parts that send air directly into the living spaces rather than using ducts.
Ductless systems are becoming more popular for use in homes in the U.S. (they’re already huge in Europe and Japan) for a number of good reasons. Below are some benefits of going ductless to consider if you’re thinking of getting a new HVAC system in the near future: