Mini-Split HVAC vs. Package Unit HVAC: What Are the Differences?

A well-maintained furnace can last upwards of 20 years. If you're looking for something new, you're probably wondering about a mini-split HVAC vs. a package unit HVAC and which is best for your home.

Mini-splits are ideal for homes without ductwork, and package units are great if your home has limited space to accommodate a full-size heating and cooling system.

But which should you purchase? This detailed guide explains the best type of new HVAC unit for your house and how they each perform.

Mini Split HVAC

A mini-split HVAC system, also called a ductless split system, operates similarly to heat pumps. They both provide electric cooling, similar to an air conditioner, relying on refrigerant.

This refrigerant pulls heat from inside your home and draws it outside. A reversing valve runs the system backward, providing your home with warmth during the winter and utilizing outdoor air.

Unlike heat pumps, a mini-split HVAC system doesn't require ductwork. Your home's interior unit includes an air handler built into your HVAC mini-split. You install this unit on your ceiling or wall or in any area you need additional heat and cool air.

A small conduit in your wall connects to wiring, copper tubes, and a condensate drain. The exterior system looks similar to a heat pump condenser or an air conditioner.

Multiple indoor units can link to a single outdoor condenser, which means you can use this HVAC mini-split system to heat and cool your home. You can even zone your house with split HVAC units, rotating which rooms you heat and cool.

Who Should Install a Mini-Split?

If your home lacks ductwork, a mini-split might be a good system. This includes tiny homes, older homes, sheds, workshops, and converted garages. The average to install ductwork is $3,000, so mini-split HVAC systems are ideal.

A split unit HVAC system is also good for anyone looking to save on energy bills, heating, and cooling limited rooms.

Rooms that are difficult to heat and cool may benefit from a mini-split system. This includes drafty areas or rooms with too much sunlight. HVAC split systems are also an excellent way to heat and cool additions to your home or enclosed porches, making them more comfortable.

Package Unit HVAC

Thanks to electrical strap heating, a package unit HVAC provides air conditioning and limited warmth. HVAC package units consist of a compressor, air handler, and coils. These items are contained within one single-boxed cabinet.

If you install a packaged heat pump, heat pump technology will heat and cool your home.

Packaged gas-electric units offer a combined solution. They provide homeowners with air conditioning and a furnace that performs like its gas-powered counterparts.

Another option is a packaged dual-fuel system. These HVAC packaged units contain a heat pump (which can heat and cool your home) along with a furnace. When you install this type of packaged system, you'll experience an optimized heating source.

Package unit HVAC systems are perfect for small indoor spaces that offer little space for heating and cooling systems. They're energy efficient and can save you money on your monthly energy bills. 1

How Does It Work?

How your packaged HVAC system works largely depends on how it is configured. On average, a packaged system will heat and cool your home just like its individual parts would.

What differentiates this type of unit is its single cabinet system. Instead of attaching duct work to different components in your home, it's attached to the system itself.

Air Conditioning

Package unit HVAC systems also work for air conditioning. They rely on electricity as the main power source and cycle refrigerant through via the unit's internal components.

From there, a fan pulls in warm air and passes it over the cold evaporator coil. The cooled air is dehumidified and is pushed through your home's ducts.

Heating Component

Packaged air conditioners can produce a limited amount of heat by using their heat strip elements. The strips are warmed, and the air is heated when it flows over each strip. This type of heating element is advisable for warmer climates that rely on heat occasionally.

Packaged heat pumps reverse the system's refrigeration cycle to transfer heat. Indoor coils are heated through condensation and evaporation, and the air is pushed over the warm coils before being pumped through your ductwork.

Packaged gas-electric units rely on a gas furnace to heat your home. This component relies on propane or natural gas, creating heat inside the heat exchanger.

Cold air from interior spaces goes through your return ductwork and blows through the hot heat exchanger. The result is warm air circulated throughout your home.

Packaged dual-fuel units have two heating options: a gas furnace or a heat pump. If you require moderate heating, the heat pump will reverse from air conditioning mode, producing warm air. Colder temperatures activate the gas furnace, providing your home with consistent heat.