Why A Ductless Air Conditioning System Is A Better Choice Than Portable AC Units
If you need a new air conditioner for your home, but you don't want a central system that includes ducts, then your choices are a ductless AC or a portable unit. A ductless air conditioner is a better choice unless money is the deciding factor. Here's why.
Ductless Air Conditioning Cools Your Entire House
A ductless air conditioner is like a central AC system in that the air blower is inside and the condenser unit is outside. The difference between central forced air and a ductless system is that central air needs ducts. However, the ductless system can keep your entire house cool just the same. That's because multiple blowers can connect to the condenser outside.
If you're cooling a small house or cabin, one blower may be enough, but if you're cooling multiple levels or a large house, you'll probably want multiple blowers that connect to a single condenser for the most control of your comfort.
Window air conditioners are usually just for a single room, and if you want to cool your entire home, you'll need to put multiple units in multiple windows, which affects the appearance of your house.
Ductless Systems Are More Secure And Attractive
If you choose a portable air conditioner, you can buy a window unit, an AC that mounts through the wall, or a portable unit on wheels that vents through a window. The window and wall units can be eyesores, and they may even be prohibited in some HOA communities. While a portable unit stays inside the house, a hose has to vent out of a window, and that can create a home security risk.
A ductless air conditioning system has a unit that sits outside on a pad and blowers that mount on the walls indoors. There are small tubes for the electrical connections and refrigerant that pass between the indoor and outdoor parts of the AC. You don't have to leave a window open or have a large gap in your wall that poses a home security threat. The blower on the wall is usually near the ceiling so it is out of the way and so it doesn't affect the appearance of your room.
A ductless air conditioning system is a good choice for a home you are away from a lot since it doesn't affect home security, and it's also a good choice when you want control of the temperature in zones or certain rooms of your home. If you want to avoid the expense of ducts or if your home has no room for them, then talk to your HVAC contractor about installing a ductless system so you don't have to rely on portable air conditioners to stay cool in the summer.