How Does a Ductless HVAC System Work?

A ductless HVAC system is a high-efficiency, stand-alone heating and air conditioning system designed to control the comfort in a specific room. It can also be designed to control the comfort of multiple rooms. These systems, which require no ductwork to distribute air, enable you to heat and cool specific rooms independently from the rest of your home.

A ductless system works much like a conventional system with an indoor air handler unit attached to an outdoor unit via copper tubing refrigerant line. A ductless system can have multiple indoor air handlers, or heads, attached to a single outdoor compressor.

The technology within the system itself, called an inverter compressor, uses a drive to control the motor speed to modulate the cooling, much like a variable speed fan.

Think of the light switches in your home. They are all connected to the same electrical system, but if you turn on a single light switch it won’t light up every room in your house; just the room with the switch. A ductless system works the same way. When you change the temperature on one head, it won’t change the temperature in every room of your house; just in the room where that head is located.

With a ductless system, air is constantly moving inside the room. In heating mode, a sensor identifies the cold spots in the room and directs more heat to that one area. In cooling mode, it senses where you are and directs air toward you. The sensors and air-moving capabilities of ductless systems create more even temperatures and greater comfort.

They also have the ability to heat your home while temperatures outside are as low as -15 degrees Fahrenheit.