Learning About HVAC Contractor Services

Ductless mini-split air conditioners are one of the newest forms of air conditioning. They are quickly becoming one of the most popular installation requests as well. This is due in part to the fact that you can control which rooms in the house receive the cooled air and no ventilation system is needed. They are also very energy-efficient because the cooled air is channeled directly into the room and no cooled air is lost through a vent system.

Homes and apartments that can most benefit from ductless A/C are small homes, small loft spaces, and any buildings that have not had any A/C built into them before. The installation process is much simpler and less damaging than installing central air. Here is how this system is installed.

Select the Rooms That You Want to Cool

First and foremost, you will need to select the rooms you want to cool. (If you live in a tiny apartment or small loft, this does not apply, as your room unit will be installed in the living room.) If you have two stories, it is advisable that you install at least one wall unit upstairs and one wall unit downstairs. The living room and an upstairs hallway or bedroom are the most common requests. Then, your HVAC technician needs to find two exterior walls through which the conduits can be passed to reach the wall units.

Position and Install the Condenser/Compressor

Next, your HVAC technician will position and install the condenser/compressor unit outside. This is much smaller and lighter than the central air version, which means that it has to be appropriately secured to a solid surface. If it is secured to just the soil or not secured at all, high winds and damaging weather conditions will destroy it.

The technician will make sure it is quite secure. With your permission, it may even be secured to the side of your home, which may also make it easier to connect the conduits to the wall units inside the house to the condenser/compressor. Electrical wiring has to connect to the condenser/compressor unit as well or the whole system will not function as intended.

Drill Holes for the Conduits

The conduits are long, enclosed hoses/tubing that carry the electrical wiring and refrigerant delivery tubing through the walls to your wall units. To do this, the technician has to first drill a hole through the exterior wall of your home. Then he/she has to drill additional holes through the interior walls of your home where the conduits will come out and connect to your wall units. Do not worry about the holes. Once the system is fully installed, the technician will use an expanding foam insulation to seal off the holes to prevent loss of heat and pest infestations.

Thread the Conduits Through the Walls to the Wall Unit Locations

Next, the conduits are threaded through the walls and up through the holes where the conduits will connect with the wall units. This is usually a two- or three-person installation job, since someone has to stand down below and feed the conduits upwards while another person has to watch for and grab the conduits as soon as they appear in the holes. Once the conduits are all the way through, the wall units are ready for installation.

Installing the Wall Units

At this point, the wall units are attached to the conduits. Flow of electricity and refrigerant are checked and checked for leaks, respectively. If everything is attached properly, the HVAC technicians begin mounting the wall units to the walls. Once the wall units are secure, your ductless mini-split air conditioning system is ready to begin cooling your home or apartment!

Reach out to a professional for more information.