Frequently Asked Questions
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Questions
WHAT IS A DUCTLESS HEAT PUMP?
Ductless heat pumps (a.k.a.,“mini-splits”) are highly efficient zonal heating and cooling systems. Mini-splits were developed in Japan more 30 years ago and have completely changed how people think about heating and cooling their homes and businesses. More than 50 percent of the residential air conditioners sold worldwide are ductless heat pumps.
According to the Northwest Ductless Heat Pump Project:
“Ductless systems, also known as ductless heat pumps or ductless mini-splits, are highly efficient easily installed primary heating and cooling systems for electrically heated homes. They’re safe, durable and quiet, and they heat rooms evenly at a fraction of the cost of baseboard, wall and ceiling heat or electric furnaces.
Ductless systems utilize heat pump technology to distribute warm or cool air more quietly and efficiently than traditional electric heaters. With three main components (outdoor unit, indoor wall-mounted unit, remote control), ductless heat pumps are easily installed by a professional in less than a day and can reduce your electric heating costs by 25% -50% while keeping you comfortable all year long.
Ductless heating and cooling systems are reversible, two-way heat pump that simply take heat energy from on place and move it to another by compressing and expanding refrigerant. There are three main components:
1. Outdoor unit: connects to the indoor unit by a small bundle of cables, including a refrigerant line. The unit is placed outside of the home on ground level.
2. Indoor unit: mounted on a centrally located wall. One indoor head is enough to heat and cool an average-sized Northwest home.
3. Remote control: allows occupants to adjust the settings for maximum efficiency, comfort and control.
Installation is quick and easy. There is no need for expensive, invasive and often leaky duct work: A small 3-inch hold hidden behind the indoor unit is all that’s needed to connect it to the outdoor unit. Ductless systems do best when they are installed in a central location in your home. They work with your existing heating system to ensure that bedrooms and bathrooms are the perfect temperature.”
Heat pumps are ideally suited for the Northwest climate, delivering efficiencies 2-4 times that of electric resistance space heating. That is because heat pumps don’t actually make heat, they use a refrigerant and a compressor to extract heat from the outside air and “pump” it into your home. In the summer, heat pumps can reverse cycle and serve as efficient air conditioners. And, because the price of natural gas and other fuels have gone up more than the price of electricity over the last few years, heat pumps heat for less in the Northwest. Period.
Many homes do not have ducts and adding ducts is expensive and often impractical. Residential duct systems are also hard to get right. Not getting the ducts right results in big energy efficiency penalties (up to ~30%). Poorly designed and installed duct systems can also result in issues related to air flow, comfort, noise, and indoor air quality. Ducts should be cleaned, but rarely are.
We believe ductless heat pumps are applicable to nearly all homes. Of course, we are The Heat Pump Store! Some preferred residential applications include: Displacing existing electric heating – Some of the most cost-effective ductless heat pump applications consist of a single-zone system serving the main area (zone) of a house heated with electric baseboards, wall units or ceiling cable heat. In these cases, “old electric heat” continues to serve bedrooms, bathrooms and other secondary zones as needed. And you get awesome air conditioning in your primary zone! Displacement also works well with electric resistance forced-air systems (with additional consideration of secondary zones); Bonus rooms and additions – Ductless heat pumps are perfect for room additions, attic living space, and that bonus room that is no bonus because it is too cold in the winter and/or too hot in the summer; New construction – New homes can be designed or easily adapted to take advantage of the characteristics of ductless heat pumps. As with existing homes, the most cost-effective approach is often a hybrid strategy with 1 or 2 ductless heat pumps and low cost electric resistance heaters serving low use areas. Many builders have come to realize that ductless heat pumps clean up the intensive process with installing quality central ducted systems.
While a ductless mini split system can be used as a primary heat source, most homeowners are encouraged to keep their existing electric heating units (or install in new construction projects) to supplement the DHP system in extreme weather conditions or to serve distinct secondary zones (as needed).
The system is controlled with a handheld remote control that resembles your TV remote control. Using this control, the homeowner can select heating or cooling, the temperature setting, and other modes of operation such as fan speed and air direction.
Check out this video to learn more!
Typically, the total installed cost of single-zone ductless heat pumps ranges from $3,000 to $5,000. Factors that may affect installed cost include equipment manufacturer and model, refrigerant line-set length, and difficulty of installation. Multi-zone solutions add cost. You may be able to lower the cost if you have “drills and skills”. The Heat Pump Store has developed Do-it-Yourself Ductless packages for builders, remodelers, and homeowners that typically reduce total installed cost by $500 to $1,000 (per zone).
To help with the cost of a new system, The Heat Pump Store offers four incredible financing options.
- No monthly interest if the balance is paid in full within 12 months (deferred interest).
- 5.99% APR until paid in full, with fixed monthly payments of 4.00% of the financed amount. Estimated payoff period is 27 months.
- 7.99% APR until paid in full, with fixed monthly payments of 3.00% of the financed amount. Estimated payoff period is 38 months.
- 9.99% APR until paid in full, with fixed monthly payments of 1.75% of the financed amount. Estimated payoff period is 78 months.
Get pre-approved here!
We also run promotions throughout the year to provide even more savings for our customers. See what new promotion is happening now!
Because ductless heat pumps represent the highest level of efficiency, utilities may offer financial incentives to help you pay for your system! Most Pacific Northwest utilities are encouraging the use of inverter-driven ductless heat pumps to displace electric resistance heat. See what you qualify for here.
We also run promotions throughout the year to provide even more savings for our customers. See what new promotion is happening now!
With proper maintenance, such as that provided by one of our Ductless Care Plans, a ductless heat pump can perform well for over 20 years. Many systems installed in the 1980’s are still functioning well today (> 30 years). It is important to maintain your system by having a professional service it yearly, but also cleaning the filters regularly.
First and foremost, cleaning the filters on the indoor unit is a must. Every month or two (depending on use and environment) works for most people. The good news is that vacuuming the filters only takes 2-3 minutes. You should also keep debris (leaves, plants, bark mulch, clutter, etc.) from building up around the outdoor unit and blocking the airflow or drainage holes. Additionally, The Heat Pump Store recommends that system performance be checked and both the indoor and outdoor units thoroughly cleaned once a year to ensure a proper operating environment.
Watch our “The Value of Regular Maintenance” Video
Ductless heat pump systems are sized to meet the heating and cooling needs of individual zones in the home, which can vary greatly due to the thermal characteristics of the zone and connected zones. The good news is that there is a great deal of flexibility when it comes to sizing ductless heat pumps because they are inverter-driven, variable speed. Typically, a 1-ton (12,000 BTU/hr) ductless system will effectively serve up to 600 square feet. Even more square footage can be served, if there is a good backup system you are willing to use. The Heat Pump Store can help you with sizing specific to your primary zone(s).
We will always clean up after ourselves and will do our best to leave the areas that we work in cleaner than we found them.
We will always wear shoe covers while working inside your home to keep your floors clean and protected.
Email Us
Send us an email at any time with your questions or concerns, or use the form on this page. Our goal is to respond within 24 hours.
See What Our Customers Are Saying!
Rosaline ElfickFebruary 21, 2023Brandon was our heat pump installer. Arrived early was affable, professional and all went smoothly. He did a good job and left our house spotless.Brittanie McGurkFebruary 21, 2023Jamie was great! Very effiecient and friendly, he went above and beyond to deep clean and repair a unit. During his visit he was willing to check out another unit and determined it was in need of cleaning as well- he was able to complete this during the same visit and I'm so grateful as it was dirtier than I anticipated- gross! Jamie also shared information about a regular maintenence program which I appreciated. So glad to have my system back to normal, fixed, and clean!info infoFebruary 16, 2023Friendly and professional from the beginning to end. Tim gave us a very clear plan for the best outcome. His installation team worked together well and efficiently. We especially appreciated how well they kept us informed of what was happening and the steps they were going through. In the end they gave us a tutorial on the equipment and encouraged us to call if we had any questions. Highly recommend them.Adrián BeltranFebruary 16, 2023We have a heatpump installed by the heat pump store and it was amazing service. From the installer Abraham to the electrician jonh right up to Rhonda sales person really nice lady to work with.Tammy WarberFebruary 15, 2023Jamie just preformed the annual maintenance on our heat pump. He was very professional and thorough with the service. He was also very friendly and answered all my questions, as well as offering me tips on how to get the best performance from my heat pump. Great service!midge BrownFebruary 15, 2023we had a heat pump installed by the heat pump store and it was amazing service. From the installer Brandon to the electrician Jon right up to jan Prast the lady with the answers. Awesome crewSusan HoffmanFebruary 14, 2023We had our Heat Pump system installed about a year ago. We have been pleased with both the heating and cooling. What I wanted to say is that our experience with staff has been excellent, starting with Jan who started the process and onto today with Alexis who did our yearly cleaning and maintenance. She reviewed what she would be doing, made adjustments, was timely and professional. Thank you, Alexis and the Heat Pump StoreDanny WalkerFebruary 12, 2023Rhonda at The Heat Pump store guided us through installing a mini-split in our SE Portland home. The unit functions well (although we've only experienced the heating side so far). It's quiet, reliable, and effective. Rhonda is knowledgeable, friendly, and responsive. Recommend.David MurrayFebruary 9, 2023This is a great business. They are helpful and attentive. I appreciate the nice system they installed. Thanks Brandon, Christian and Rhonda
