4 Major Health Benefits of a Mini-Split System
After a lengthy yet mild winter, spring is finally around the corner here in the Southwest. With it comes longer days, filled with sunshine and wildflowers and, of course, seasonal allergies, heat waves, and high winds.
So, as we gear up for the myriad of activities and adventures the spring brings, being and feeling healthy becomes a top priority. While there are many options for improving your health, only one can prepare you and your home for the upcoming season: an HVAC mini-split system.
Also known as a ductless heating and cooling system, heat pump mini-splits are quickly becoming the go-to option for homeowners and renters across the nation. The convenient system not only offers customizable options to suit any floor plan, but also utilizes energy efficient technology that’s being incentivized by the U.S. government.
Learn More: Homeowner’s Guide to the Inflation Reduction Act
The best time to save on HVAC mini split costs, lower your carbon footprint, and equip your home for spring while also restoring your health is right now. Keep reading to learn how to claim your mini-split savings — plus 4 major health benefits that come with your upgraded heating and cooling system.
HVAC Mini Splits for Your Home or Apartment
Unlike traditional HVAC systems, mini-splits do not require ductwork, which makes them ideal for both large and small homes. From sprawling manors to single rooms, every space can benefit from a heating and cooling system that doesn’t leak air through its old-school ducts.
This functionality of the mini-split system leads to a number of environmental benefits. Powered by a refrigerant with zero potential for ozone depletion, mini-splits do less damage while running and follow ENERGY STAR guidelines. Additionally, fewer leaks combined with the ability to heat or cool specific zones translates to massive decreases in wasted energy and costs.
So when President Biden announced a new set of generous incentives for installing heat pump mini-splits as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, we weren’t surprised!
HVAC Mini-Splits Tax Credits & Incentives
The Inflation Reduction Act was passed in October of 2022, with payouts and rebates rolling out this year and for many to come.
Learn More: Inflation Reduction Act Guide: Tax Credits for Sustainable Small Businesses
While there are many specific credits and programs that individuals and companies can stack to maximize their returns, the incentives specific to mini-splits are as follows:
- Up to 30% back on installation, including labor costs
- Rebates up to $8,000 for heat pump based heating and cooling systems
- Tax credits up to $1,200 for tangential costs related to heat pump mini split installations
Learn More: Rewiring America’s Inflation Reduction Act Savings Calculator
4 Health Benefits of an HVAC Mini-Split System
- Moisture Regulation
Even for us desert-dwellers in Texas and New Mexico, moisture buildup is a highly relevant concern.
The rooms most notorious for harboring excess moisture are the kitchen and the bathroom, but any room can be affected. Especially when those rooms are being heated and cooled by a duct-based energy system that traps water in its cracks and crevices.
Stagnant water, even the very small amounts found in ducts, can be a breeding ground for bacterias and molds. From mildly toxic to massively detrimental, microbes of all shapes and sizes can grow and spread throughout the walls, wood, pipes, and ceiling tiles of your home.
Acute and continued mold exposure have deleterious effects on our health, causing or exacerbating symptoms of asthma, respiratory infections, sinusitis, and more.
Thankfully, ductless mini-splits are, well, ductless! This feature cuts down the hiding places for stagnant water and keeps the home clean, dry, and comfortable.
- Less Exposure to External Pollutants
The COVID-19 pandemic has definitely made us more of the invisible dangers in the air that hide in plain sight. Even so, many people don’t realize that the average American is exposed to over 80,000 chemicals per day.
Vehicle exhaust, noxious gasses, and industrial emissions are just a few of the materials we unwittingly inhale in the great outdoors. Routine exposure to environmental pollutants can lead to a whole host of health issues like cardiovascular disease and cancer; children and immunocompromised people are the most at risk.
Our solution? The Mitsubishi Mini-Split, a top tier option for ductless HVAC units. This system operates with multi-stage filtration that decreases the amount of dust, pollutants, and allergens that enter your home. While most HVAC systems require professional cleaning on a routine basis, this unit includes washable filters that can be rinsed and replaced.
- Better Internal Ventilation
If learning about the dangers of outdoor air was scary, then here’s a fair warning that your indoor air…isn’t much better.
Indoor air contaminants come in all forms, from our personal care products and cleaning solutions to building materials and carpets. Big names like formaldehyde and asbestos can be found in many of these objects, as well as lesser known pollutants like volatile organic compounds and radon.
By now you already know that an HVAC mini-split offers advanced filtration, but there’s another hidden benefit that improves indoor air quality as well. Because the individual units of a mini-split function independently of one another, utilizing this energy system actually prevents contaminated air from being vented from one room to another.
- Improved Sleep
Sleep, like our breath, is often considered to be the foundation of wellness.
For health-conscious folks then, the best heating and cooling system investment is one that improves the quality of both your breathing and sleeping. Without adequate sleep, our bodies are unable to rest, digest, and repair from the onslaught of sensory experiences throughout the day.
Because staying comfortable is imperative for getting a good night’s sleep, as many light sleepers will attest to, an HVAC mini-split system stands out from the crowd yet again. By allowing each room to be set a custom temperature, each sleeper in the household can find the indoor climate that keeps them dozing all night long.
Don’t wait until the heat wave hits to give your health, home, and wallet a much-needed boost. Chat with an energy expert from Solar Smart Living to start the ultra simple, one-day process of having an HVAC mini-split installed. Your lungs will thank you!
