Ductless mini-split air conditioning systems offer numerous benefits to homeowners, including how efficient they are and their ability to create zoned areas of your house that are cooled and heated differently and to your preferences. But how do mini-splits affect air quality?
TL;DR: Can a Mini-Split System Clean Your Air?
A mini-split system improves your indoor air quality (IAQ) through its effective filtering system, but do note that it’s not a standalone purifier.
What the Heck Is a Mini-Split System?
We’ll explain. A mini-split is a cooling and heating system that normally comes without ducts while it being split means that it consists of a number of indoor units, which allow you to, for example, have your kitchen be at a different temperature than your bedroom. An outdoor unit acts as the system’s condenser.
This energy-efficient system focuses on removing heated air in a process that involves either taking hot interior air and transferring it outside to cool your house or extracting the warmer elements of cooler outside air and bringing those in to heat your home.
How Mini-Splits Improve Your Indoor Air Quality (Even if They’re Not Air Purifiers)
Here are four ways that mini-splits can boost your IAQ.
Built-In Multi-Stage Filtration
A mini-split’s built-in multi-stage filtration system plays a significant role in ensuring that your interior air is clean and crisp. This is accomplished through the removal of allergens, particles and other contaminants, resulting in higher air quality that’s especially appreciated by those with asthma or allergies and individuals who own pets, particularly those that shed a lot of hair.
In some cases, HEPA filters are built into these systems, providing even more effectiveness.
No Ducts, No Dust Highways
Mini-splits normally not having ducts means that you don’t have to worry about all of the harm that those passageways can cause. For example, not only can dust, dust mites and dander collect in ducts and then be dispersed throughout the air that you breathe, but so can more dangerous substances, such as mold.
Also consider that a ductless system is usually a substantial upgrade as far as your air quality goes if you live in an older home.
Room-by-Room Control = Less Cross-Contamination
One of the other benefits of a zoned cooling system that has no ducts is that germs and other substances are not being blown from one part of your home to another. This reduction in cross-contamination is significant if you have sick rooms or nurseries or simply have someone who’s not feeling well and is mostly confined to their bedroom until they’re healthy again.
Quiet + Constant Circulation = Fresh Feeling
A mini-split provides steady air flow, which greatly reduces instances of air staleness and, as a result, improves your IAQ. A related benefit is that its quietness as compared to many other types of cooling and heating systems helps encourage people to use it as often as it’s designed to be used, keeping that air flowing.
Mini-Split vs. Whole-House Air Purifier: What’s the Difference?
The simplest way to think about the differences between mini-splits and air purifiers is that the former filters your air, improving your IAQ in that manner, while the latter purifies it.
But what’s the difference between filtering your air and purifying it? Both are designed to trap small particles and keep them from being inhaled by you and others in your home.
The main difference is that purifiers are designed to trap even smaller particles, such as viruses and VOCs. In other words, if you want the best IAQ possible, you should use both the filtration of a mini-split and a whole-house air purifier.
Hidden Improved IAQ Benefits
A mini-split’s ability to improve your IAQ also provides numerous benefits that are not as well-known.
Humidity Regulation = Mold & Mildew Prevention
Florida is an especially humid state, and that aspect of living here often results in mold spores and mildew forming and thriving. However, mini-splits act as dehumidifiers as well, making it more difficult for mold and mildew to exist.
Fewer Airborne Particulates from Dusty Duct Cleaning
If you currently have a ducted air conditioning system, you should vacuum out your vents twice a year. However, when you do that, you’re stirring up airborne particulates, such as allergens, and spreading them throughout your home. When you change to a ductless system, you won’t need to worry about that.
Some Models Offer Bonus Tech
Depending on the model of ductless mini-split that you get installed in your home, you may also get to experience the benefits of carbon filters, UV light add-ons and ionizing filters, all of which help improve your IAQ even more.
Who Should Seriously Consider a Mini-Split for Better IAQ?
Although everyone can benefit greatly from a mini-split’s improved IAQ and the fewer emissions that result from it, this system’s especially recommended for those who have asthma, regularly suffer from allergies or have pets or babies at home.
How to Maintain IAQ With a Mini-Split
Now that you have a mini-split, it’s important to maintain your improved IAQ. How can this be done? Ensure that airflow isn’t blocked by furniture or otherwise, clean or replace your filters every month or so and have professionals maintain it on a seasonal basis.
You can also use a portable air monitor to track the metrics of your IAQ so that you’ll know right away if it’s fallen to lower levels than it should be at.
Real Talk: Do You Still Need an Air Purifier?
Although a mini-split is quite effective at improving your IAQ, you may want to use a standalone air purifier as well. This is likely if you desire the filtration of ultra-fine particles, such as VOCs, and want to maximize your indoor air quality.
Final Verdict: Yes, Mini-Splits Help Clean the Air, But Only If You Use Them Right
Mini-splits’ filtering system helps clean the air that you breathe every day, but you should also ensure that you use yours right. This can be done through the cleaning of your filters and otherwise ensuring that it’s being maintained, resulting in most potential issues instead being prevented. Also make sure to run it consistently, which is what it’s designed to do and how it operates most effectively.
Are you ready for cleaner, quieter, healthier comfort at home and want to get a mini-split installed? Or perhaps you already have one and would like to get it maintained or fixed? We provide expert mini-split services in Niceville, FL, and surrounding areas and would be glad to help.
Call us for a quote today, and remember that we’re always on time or you don’t pay a dime.