Recently, we got a call from a Boise Bench homeowner who had a heating and cooling setup we don’t see that often: An old window-unit heat pump. After years and years of use, the unit didn’t keep up that well anymore. It was time for an upgrade.
Our homeowner had heard that heat pumps had improved quite a bit since they’d started using their window unit. And, they were right: Today’s systems provide better comfort and use less energy to do it.
With a mini split heat pump system, their home would feel better than ever before.
In this case study, we’ll go over:
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Why Today’s Heat Pumps Are Better
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Mini Splits For Homes With No Ductwork
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More Ductless Heating And Cooling Benefits
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Ductless Heating And Cooling Installation in Boise Bench
Problem: Homeowners in Boise Bench had an old window-unit heat pump for heating and cooling. It didn’t keep the home comfortable anymore and used too much energy.
Solution: Installed a new ductless mini split. This system uses a much more energy-efficient heat pump to provide better comfort in all seasons.
If your Treasure Valley home is ready for a comfort (and efficiency!) upgrade, call or email Snowflake Air today for your free consultation.
Read More: How Much Does A Mini Split Cost In And Around Boise Metro?
Why Today’s Heat Pumps Are Better
Heat pumps have always used a different process than conventional furnaces. Instead of burning fossil fuels to generate warmth, they move that thermal energy from one place to another. Now, today’s models do that job much better.
First off, heat pumps offer both heating and cooling. In the summer, they pretty much work the same as an air conditioner. Then, in the fall and winter, they work in reverse to draw warmth into the house.
But, for a long time, they weren’t strong enough to provide enough heat during the coldest winter days. And, once you got into freezing temperatures, your electric bill would start climbing significantly.
Inverter Technology And Variable-Speed HVAC
That’s no longer the case, thanks to Inverter technology. In plain English, it means that the heat pump can run at high and low speeds. It’s different from furnaces, central air, and even baseboard heaters that only have two modes: Full power or off completely.
This process solves the load problem that prevented heat pumps from doing as good a job in the winter as they did in the summer.
You need a more robust system to provide heat in the winter than you do in the summer. With a single-stage heat pump, you’d end up with an air conditioner that’s way too strong for the house.
And, bigger isn’t better when it comes to HVAC. Instead, you’d end up with a hotter, more humid house in the winter. With variable speed, you get the right amount of heating and cooling with one unit.
Once our homeowners learned about these new heat pumps, they knew it was the right choice for their home.
How Mini Splits Provide Exceptional Comfort
Variable-speed HVAC doesn’t just allow today’s heat pumps to do a better job. With a mini split setup for ductless heating and cooling, this Boise Bench home would be more comfortable than ever before.
Continual Comfort
With Inverter technology, the heat pump works at different speeds depending on the exact amount of heating and cooling the home needs at any given time. And, most of the time, it doesn’t need that much at all.
The heat pump works at full power a room reaches the temperature our homeowners want. Then, it slows down to provide less heating and cooling. It’s just enough to maintain the temperature all the time.
Compare that to a conventional system. A furnace or central air gets the temperature to the thermostat’s call setting. Then, it turns off until the temperature drifts a few degrees. You can feel that temperature shift.
Instead, the continual, low-power mode keeps each room comfortable all the time.
Eliminating Hot And Cold Spots
We’ve talked a lot so far about the heat pumps. Those make up the outdoor part of a mini split. Inside, we mount air handlers in each room our homeowners want to treat. These indoor units warm or cool the air inside.
And they do a fantastic job.
Every air handler has sensors that detect hot and cold pockets. Even within a single room — or a larger space if you have an open-floor plan — it finds the spots that need extra heat or AC.
Then, the indoor unit uses tiny, specialized fans to push the treated air directly to those areas. The result is more even, consistent heating and cooling everywhere.
More Ductless Heating And Cooling Benefits
Thanks to all the improvements to heat pumps, plus the extra features the air handlers provide, our homeowners were excited to upgrade their old heat pump to a ductless heating and cooling system. And, they’d get a few more benefits:
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Customization
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Quiet Operation
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Energy Savings
Customization
With more than one air handler in the house, our homeowners can customize the heating and cooling more than they ever could with an older window unit.
Each air handler has a built-in thermostat. This way, they can set the temperature in each room being treating. They have the option of getting a different temperature in each area — great for when they want the bedroom warmer or cooler than the rest of the house, for instance.
Or, they can set each one to the same temperature and, for the first time, get consistent, even heating and cooling in each room.
Quiet Operation
Heat pumps are much quieter than a central air condenser or a furnace. And the air handlers make almost no noise as well.
For anyone used to forced-air or especially window ACs, the whisper-quiet operation is a vast improvement over the noise their old system would make.
Energy Savings
The low-power modes and Inverter technology we mentioned before does more than make new heat pumps more effective. They almost make them more energy-efficient.
By maintaining a constant temperature, the heat pumps and air handlers require much less energy than conventional HVAC. And, by transferring heat instead of burning fossil fuels to create that warmth, it barely requires any electricity at all.
Read More: Rebates and Financing For Mini Splits In And Around Boise Metro
Ductless Heating And Cooling Installation In Boise Bench
If your Boise, ID home has a heat pump that’s ten years or older, it may be time to upgrade! Today’s models will make your home more comfortable and your electric bills lower. Or, if your forced-air system leaves a lot to be desired, a mini-split may fit the bill. Call or email us here at Snowflake Air for a free consultation for a renowned mini split installers in Boise, ID.
