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So you might ask, which is better for my Portland home: a heat pump with ducts or one without? All of that depends on your home and the infrastructure you already have. If you have central air conditioning and your ductwork is in good shape, a ducted heat pump may be the better choice.
Ductless mini-split systems are often the best choice for homes that don’t already have ductwork or for historic homes that have to be renovated in a certain way. A ducted heat pump system is also a good choice if you’re adding on to your home and need to make the thermal pocket bigger.
Traditional heat pumps with ducts may be a better choice if:
- You already have ductwork in your home, and it’s in pretty good shape.
- You don’t like the way ductless air handlers look or you want to hide your HVAC system’s parts.
- When you build a new home, you have the option of putting in ductwork right away.
Mini-split systems without ducts may be better if:
- You own a house that doesn’t have ducts.
- You own an old house and don’t want to do all the work that a new ducted system would require. You or someone in your family has allergies all the time.
- You have electric heat like cadets or ceiling heat.
- You are adding on to your house.
When shopping for new heating and cooling, most homeowners think about one or more of the following four things:
1. Efficiency \Price
Want a professional opinion on whether a heat pump with ducts or one without ducts is best for you?
Contact Four Seasons Heating and Cooling to talk to an experienced, NATE-certified technician about ducted and ductless heat pump installation if you’re not sure which unit to choose. You can call us at 503-538-1950 or use our online system to make quick and easy appointments.
2. Plan, Estimate, Understand, And Be Efficient
Some of the most energy-efficient ways to heat and cool a home in Portland are heat pumps.
To meet the latest standards set by the Department of Energy, you’ll usually need a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating, or SEER, of at least 14. From 2023 on, all new AC installations in Portland will have to meet a minimum standard score of 14. But both ducted and ductless heat pumps can get scores well above 20, making them very efficient ways to cool your home. Just think about how switching from a 9 SEER unit to a 14 SEER unit can cut your cooling costs by as much as 35%. The Department of Energy says that ducts that leak can make cooling 30% more expensive. This is why ductless heat pumps are a little more efficient.
3. Costs Of Installing Ducted Vs. Ductless
What goes into the cost of installing a ducted or ductless heat pump? Prices are about the same for both ducted and ductless units, as long as adding or renovating ducts isn’t part of the installation process for a traditional system. Putting in a traditional heat pump costs between $6,050 and $12,350 on average. You could spend as little as $3,300 or as much as $9,500 on a ductless system.