A mini-split system doesn’t use a lot of electricity. In fact, mini split heat pumps are designed to be energy-efficient, using less electricity than a traditional central air conditioning system and or electric furnace.

If you’re looking for an energy efficient way to heat and cool your Maine home and save on energy costs, a mini-split heat pump may be an excellent long-term investment. In addition to saving money on reduced utilities, you may also qualify for rebates and other incentives that can defray the cost of installing mini-split heat pumps.

What Is a Mini-Split Heat Pump?

A mini-split heat pump is a type of HVAC system that uses a single outdoor unit and multiple indoor units to provide targeted heating, cooling or both. In the winter, it works by pulling heat from the outside air via refrigerant and then transferring it inside. The indoor portion of the heat pump then distributed heated air throughout a room. When in cooling mode, the heat pump cools a home by transferring heat energy from inside the home and dispersing it outside.

What Makes Mini-Split Systems Energy Efficient?

Mini-split systems are highly efficient for multiple reasons. Unlike most traditional heating solutions, like furnaces, heat pumps don’t not burn fuel to generate heat. They also only use energy to heat a defined space when you need it, unlike traditional HVAC systems that tend to run constantly and heat and cool all the rooms in a home, including those that are unoccupied. Mini-splits are ductless units, meaning they don’t require ducts to heat or cool a home. This makes them more efficient than traditional HVAC systems as there is no risks for loss of energy through leaky ductwork.

They also offer more precise temperature control than window-mounted ACs. The system allows you to adjust the temperature in each individual zone independently, allowing for greater accuracy and flexibility when it comes to controlling the overall climate of your home.

For example, if there are unoccupied rooms in your home, they can be excluded from heating or cooling. This multi-zone feature also ensures that no single space is over or under heated, providing maximum comfort in occupied rooms where you need it most.

How Much Electricity Do Mini-Split Heat Pumps Use?

The amount of electricity used by mini-split heat pumps varies depending on the temperature settings and the size and level of insulation of a building. However, most mini-split systems use between 500 and 1500 watts per hour when in use, with an average power draw of around 800 watts.

To truly understand these numbers, it’s important to look at them in the context of other types of HVAC systems. The amount of electricity used varies based on different factors, but on average, you can expect: 

• Central HVAC: 2,000 watts per hour
• Window unit: 900 watts per hour
• Electric furnace: 6,000 watts per hour

Although a mini-split heat pump is comparable to a window unit in terms of energy efficiency, a heat pump is more efficient and cost effective than a window unit because it can both cool and heat the space, meaning you don’t have to invest in two separate (and expensive) temperature control solutions. Heat pumps are also quieter, safer, more reliable and last longer than window units. They often have better temperature control as well.

Factors Affecting the Electricity Usage of a Mini-Split Heat Pump

• Size of the unit: The size of the mini-split heat pump is a key factor in determining how much electricity it will use. A larger unit requires more energy to operate and therefore uses more electricity than a smaller one.
• Insulation: Properly insulating your home can help reduce the amount of energy needed to cool or heat it, thus reducing overall electricity consumption from the mini-split heat pump system.
• Usage habits: How often you run your mini-split system and for how long each time affects its total electrical usage over time. For instance, running it frequently but for shorter periods will use less energy than running it infrequently but for longer periods.
• Temperature settings: Setting the thermostat higher during summer months and lower during winter months helps minimize energy usage by allowing your mini-split system to work less hard when heating or cooling your home.

Contact Valley Home Services for Mini-Split Heat Pump Services in the Bangor Area

Whether you’re looking to have a mini-split installed or repaired, or you’d simply like to learn more about mini-split heat pumps as an option for your home, we’re here to help.

Our accomplished technicians have years of experience installing, fixing and servicing energy-efficient mini-split systems.

For more information, call us at (800) 316-7815.