Mini split or central air?
Both keep a house cool through a Massachusetts summer. The biggest question is whether your home has ducts. After that, it comes down to comfort, looks and cost.
Central air
One outdoor unit and an indoor coil, usually on top of a furnace. Cool air reaches every room through ducts and vents. One thermostat for the house or each zone.
Ductless mini split
An outdoor unit connected to slim indoor units in the rooms that need them. No ducts. Each indoor unit has its own temperature setting.
Start with the ducts
If your home has forced hot air heat, it already has ducts, and central air or a ducted heat pump can use them. That is usually the simplest and least visible way to cool the whole house.
Many older Massachusetts homes heat with a boiler and radiators and have no ducts at all. Adding ductwork to a finished house means opening walls and ceilings. Mini splits avoid that: the only opening is a hole about three inches across for the line to the outdoor unit.
Comfort and control
Central air cools the house as a whole from one thermostat, or a few zones if the system was built that way. Mini splits let every room or area run at its own temperature, which helps when an upstairs bedroom always runs hotter than the rest of the house.
Efficiency
Ducts that run through a hot attic or a damp basement lose some of their cooling before it reaches the room. Mini splits deliver it right where it is needed, and they slow down instead of switching on and off. Both can be very efficient: compare the SEER2 ratings of the systems you are pricing.
Looks and noise
Central air is nearly invisible inside, just vents in the floor, wall or ceiling. Mini split indoor units hang on the wall or sit in the ceiling, where you will see them. Both are quiet indoors, and a mini split's indoor unit is usually very quiet.
Heating too
A central air conditioner only cools. Most mini splits are heat pumps, so they heat as well, and so does a ducted heat pump. If you want efficient heat alongside your boiler or furnace, that can decide it. Read heat pump or furnace.
Cost
For a home that already has good ducts, central air or a ducted heat pump is often the lower price for the whole house. Without ducts, mini splits are usually the more practical choice. A single-zone mini split for one room costs far less than either, while a system with many indoor units can approach the cost of central air. We price the options for your home so you can compare.
Have a question about cooling your home?
Call us. We will tell you what we would look at, and you get the price up front if you want a visit.