Cost Savings of Using a Ductless Mini Split System Compared to Traditional HVAC Systems

HVAC technology sure has come a long way. Through all the strides, it’s more energy efficient than it has been but still not as eco-friendly as other heating and cooling solutions such as ductless mini split systems.

Energy efficiency must matter to you as a consumer. A greener heating and cooling setup needs less power to run, which reduces your carbon footprint. As an added bonus, you can save a lot of money.

Just how much cash can you put back in your pocket by switching to a ductless mini split system from traditional HVAC? That’s exactly what we’ll explore in this post.

Traditional HVAC Costs

Let’s begin by investigating the costs of traditional HVAC, such as a furnace or air conditioner.

For example, you bought a new AC. Its capacity is 20,000 British thermal units, which is standard for a residential central AC unit.

If the electricity costs in your area are $0.1319 per kilowatt-hour–the standard in the United States–you’ll spend $0.26 to run the central air conditioning for an hour.

Now let’s say you don’t turn your AC off; you just let it run. If the AC runs for 24 hours, that’s $6.24 per day you’re spending on the HVAC unit.

It doesn’t sound like much until you add up the days. In a week, you’ll spend $43.68. In a month, you’ll shell out $174.72.

Even if you only run the air conditioner for eight hours a day, that’s $2.08 per day, which is $14.56 per week and $58.24 per month.

What if you have a more powerful AC with a capacity of 50,000 BTUs? Using the same standard electricity rate of $0.1319/kWh, you’d spend $0.66 an hour to run the AC.

That’s a rate of $5.28 per day if you use the air conditioner for only eight hours and $15.84 a day if you never turn it off and it cycles through cooling cycles for 24 hours.

Ductless Mini Split Costs

Now let’s switch gears and discuss mini split costs.

If your new ductless mini split system uses 12,000 BTUs, you’ll spend only $0.16 an hour to run it if you assume the standard electricity rate per kWh.

If you run the AC for eight hours a day, your daily rate is $1.28. For those who never turn the AC off, you’d spend $3.84 a day to run it for 24 hours.

If you’re spending $1.28 per day to cool your home with a ductless mini split, that’s a fee of $8.96 a week and only $35.84 a month.

At a rate of $3.84 per day to run the mini split, you’d spend $26.88 a week and $107.52 per month on cooling.

Even if you need heavy-duty cooling with a four-ton mini split AC with a capacity of 48,000 BTUs, you’ll spend $0.64 an hour assuming the standard electricity rate.

To run your AC for eight hours a day would cost you $5.12 daily, $35.84 a week, and $143.36 a month.

The numbers speak for themselves. It’s much more energy efficient to use a ductless mini split system!