Friedrich Ductless Split System Air Conditioners

Cooling options have generally ranged from the lower budget alternatives such as portable multi-purpose units and window-installed air conditioners, to the higher cost central air systems that requires extensive installation. And while smaller units may be best suited to apartment dwellers, when it comes to cooling a larger home, pre-planning is required to install a central system because this type of cooling requires ducts to move the cool air to every room. Not a cooling choice that you may want to consider later after every floor of your home is completed, unless you want to incur retrofitting costs.

But there is another cooling option that can give you the best of both worlds, one that combines the cooling benefits of central air with the flexibility of smaller air conditioners. Requiring much less installation than central air, Friedrich® ductless split systems(DSS) are easier on the budget and provide cooling for either one room or a maximum of four cooling zones, all on one system with no duct work involved.

How Ductless Split Systems Operate:

Friedrich ductless split systems operate with one (to four) slim wall-mounted indoor unit(s), plus one outdoor condenser and are connected with refrigerant and electrical lines, through the exterior wall. They should be installed by a trained professional since it involves electricity and refrigerant, but they're much quicker and easier to put in than a central air system. If you scroll through the images on the right, you'll come to an installation diagram with an overview of how ductless split systems work. You can also learn more about Friedrich ductless split system air conditioners and view a video on the manufacturer's site.

The main objective is to cool what you need to, when you need it and that will save you money in the long run. Although not as economical to purchase as window units, they cost less than a full central air system. Since the indoor cooling units mount on the wall, there's nothing blocking any window. This means you can place an indoor unit in a room that has no windows and that can open up more possibilities for comfortable work or play areas in your home.

Benefits of Friedrich Ductless Split Systems:

• Cool from one to four rooms (zones) - just the areas where you need it. The purchase cost of the system will increase with the amount of zones you add, but limiting it to the rooms that matter can save you money and energy.
• Each indoor cooling unit has independent controls and you can turn off the unit in rooms you are not currently using. This would be ideal for a guest room or inactive family room.
• The system uses R-410A environmentally-friendly refrigerant and an inverter technology that adjusts capacity and cooling output to match demand for increased energy efficiency - a greener choice.
• Cool a room faster because the cooled air does not travel through a series of ducts to get to that area.

These ductless split systems also have more energy-saving benefits than a central unit. There are often several rooms in a home that get little to no traffic yet with central air, cooling circulates through the whole home. This means you may be cooling (and paying for) an area you are not using very often, and that can result in more outlay over the year to cool your home.

Central air units may be the cooling choice for many new home developments, but ductless split systems can provide some of the same benefits at a lower cost with easier installation and more flexibility when it comes to cooling zones. A good cooling choice for the home, but I also see these air conditioning systems as ideal for cottages, eateries and the hotel industry.

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Helpful Friedrich Links:

Friedrich Products and Home Page
More on Friedrich Ductless Split System Air Conditioners & Video
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Read More About Air Conditioners & Air Quality:

Central vs Room Air Conditioners
Keeping Cool - Ways to Beat the Heat
Air Cleaner Resources
Portable Multi-Function Units
5 Ways to Keep Your Kitchen Cool
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