Understanding the Differences between Heat Pumps, Mini-Splits, and Furnaces

When considering heating and cooling systems for your home (heating, ventilation, air conditioning—otherwise known as HVAC), there are several to choose from. Making the correct choice is especially important when we live in a province like Alberta, where we experience both ends of extreme temperatures. However, we know it can get confusing with words like mini splits, heat pumps, and furnaces, so we’re here to help you take the first step in understanding what choices are available for you!

Some common systems are mini splits and heat pumps, and you’ll often hear words like “ductless” or “ducted” along with them. We’ll discuss the differences so you can make informed decisions on which systems work best for your home and lifestyle. While reading through this article, keep in mind things such as the size of your home, the number of rooms or “zones” you’ll want to control, and the type of climate you live in.

So, what are ducted and ductless systems?

The words “ducted” and “ductless” simply refer to whether the HVAC system uses ducts as part of how it heats or cools your home.

If you have a ducted system, or if you’re considering a ducted system, this means you have (or will have) a series of ducts in your walls that connect to the vents in each room. Heated or cooled air then travels through the ductwork to stabilize your indoor temperatures.

Ducted systems have their benefits, such as long-term cost-efficiency and the ducting being concealed, but there are also disadvantages such as lost heating or cooling efficiency depending on how far the air must travel.

Ductless systems, as the name suggests, are when the system warms and cools your home without installing or utilizing ducts in your walls; these are great for controlling temperatures in small spaces or smaller homes that don’t have the capacity for ductwork. Another less often talked about benefit? They’re also great for people looking to control temperatures of certain rooms (or zones) so there’s less fighting about indoor temperatures!

What is a ductless mini split or a mini split?

When discussing the topic of HVAC systems, you may have also heard of people talking about “mini splits.” Spoiler alert: it’s not a miniature AC that’s been split up—although, it sort of is, and it sort of isn’t!

While ducted mini split systems do exist, most often, people are referring to ductless mini splits, which are more compact, convenient, and provide greater flexibility—such as those from brands ProSolutions carries like Ducane or AIREASE.

These compact systems are similar to standard systems based on heat pumps with an outdoor unit (compressor/condenser) and one or more air handlers for the number of rooms or “zones” you want to control. With its flexibility, ductless mini splits are perfect for efficiently cooling AND heating single rooms, small apartments, and other places where it’s not practical or feasible to have ducts installed.

The ductless mini split can also be a great choice for homes of various sizes because of single-zone mini splits (Comfort-Aire), which can heat or cool one room or space, while multi-zone mini splits (Comfort-Aire, Napoleon) can cool or heat multiple rooms simultaneously through a single outdoor unit and multiple indoor air handlers (Prosolutions also sells brands like TOSOT, which carry both types!).

This means everyone in your home can live harmoniously because you get to control temperatures of different areas—no more family disagreements over how warm or cool the home should be, thanks to this excellent, versatile HVAC solution—all in one small package!

What is a heat pump?

A heat pump is a very common HVAC unit that can cool and heat a home to keep it comfortable all year round. All heat pump systems consist of an outdoor and indoor unit, refrigerant, fan and blower, thermostat and controls, and air filters.

While there are ductless and ducted heat pumps, ducted heat pumps are usually known as central heat pumps, and ductless heat pump systems refer to mini splits…but more on that later!

Heat pumps (such as those made by Trane, RUNTRU, AIREASE, or Ducane) use a method that heats and cools by extracting heat from the outside and transferring it indoors to stabilize the temperature inside your home.

When it’s cold, heat pumps extract air from the outside, warms it, and deposits it into your home to heat your space. Similarly, when it’s hot, the heat pump takes the heat from inside your home and transfers it outside while circulating cooled air inside.

There are a few different types of heat pumps, but they generally all use the temperatures from outside (such as warmer/cooler air or warmer/cooler temperature from the ground) to stabilize the temperatures inside your home. For this reason, most heat pumps aren’t recommended for extreme climates 

unless paired with a furnace.

Heat pumps can heat homes more efficiently, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and are cost-effective in the long term despite higher initial costs. When deciding whether a heat pump is the right choice for your home, make sure you consider your initial and long-term budgets as well as your climate!

Why do I need to keep my furnace working if I have a heat pump?

Good question! While most heat pumps aren’t recommended for more extreme climates, there is now new technology where cold-climate heat pumps do exist, and they are effective even in the colder environments. One such example of this new heat pump technology is a heat pump that can warm your home even in below-freezing temperatures as low as -30°C.

However, it’s still important to ensure you have a working gas furnace from brands like Napoleon, Comfort-Aire, or AIREASE, because most heat pumps, even the newer ones, have difficulties efficiently operating in the extreme colds of Alberta (which, as we all know, can dip below -30°C!).

In these situations, heat pumps require assistance from the furnace; the furnace will circulate warmed air and even provide supplemental heat until temperatures drop enough for the heat pump to shut off—at which point, the furnace takes over all the heating and circulation.

Similarly, when it’s hotter than your heat pump can handle, the furnace contributes to air distribution to aid in the circulation of cool air.

The heat pump and gas furnace, when paired together, create the dual-fuel system which ensures your home is comfortable through every single season.

That’s why it’s important to have a working furnace along with your heat pump—especially for those of us in Alberta where we experience wildly swinging temperatures!

Don’t have a working furnace? It’s time to install one before winter hits!

But wait, there’s more! What’s a mini split heat pump?

Now, we’re circling back to the ductless heat pump system! The mini split heat pump uses both the mini split system and heat pump technology to give you the flexibility and convenience of the compact mini split while also getting the power and efficiency of heat pumps!

That’s why sometimes brands will also refer to this as the ductless heat pump system (by brands ProSolutions carries such as Napoleon)—because this unique system requires zero ductwork.

In fact, the mini split heat pump is now so popular that when someone mentions “heat pump” or “mini split” or even “mini split heat pump,” it’s a safe bet that they’re referring to this combination system.

Ductless heat pumps—or mini split heat pumps, as you now know—cool by pulling the warm air inside your home and extracting the heat with refrigerant, sending the hot refrigerant through a small pipe to be heated even more in the outdoor compressor before the heat is released outside. All this happens without the use of ducting!

Similarly, to warm your home, the system extracts heat from the outdoors, where it is then absorbed by refrigerant. The refrigerant gets warmed even more by the compressor before the now-hot refrigerant travels indoors through the small pipe, allowing the air handler to distribute the heat inside.

However, like we’ve mentioned before, even with a mini split heat pump, it’s vital to maintain your furnace, because Albertan temperatures can get too hot or too cold for the mini split heat pump, meaning your system will likely need to rely on dual-force systems to ensure your comfort all year long.

Another important point to remember is that not all mini splits are also heat pumps, so ensure you make this distinction when considering your choice!

Choose the system that works for your home, your budget, and your lifestyle

By reading this article and learning more about HVAC systems (such as the difference between heat pumps and mini splits), and why it’s important to have working furnace in Alberta, you’re one step closer to selecting the right system for your home! Whether you’re ready for a ductless AC install, a furnace installation, or you’re simply looking for more information, feel free to contact us with any questions!