GP Conservation is Now Supplying Friedrich Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pumps
Fairview, OR (PRWEB) July 30, 2013 -- GP Conservation and EcoTone Products are proud to supply electrically powered, energy efficient, Friedrich ductless mini-split heat pumps. They are premium, dual purpose heating and cooling systems for the home. When upgrading inefficient, expensive, or poor air quality HVAC-systems, Friedrich heat pumps are a fantastic energy efficient option. This is especially true in homes with existing baseboard heaters, wood fireplaces, or propane gas fired furnaces. Friedrich mini-split heat pumps make for an easy and inexpensive installation when compared to retrofitting a home with a gas furnace and a central air conditioning system. Friedrich ductless mini-splits do not require invasive and expensive ductwork and they do not incur the costs of establishing a gas line connection to the home.
Friedrich heat pump systems are easy and inexpensive to install, because they do not require the installation of ductwork in walls, floors, or ceilings. Installing new ductwork through a qualified contractor can cost $10,000 to $15,000 per home. Retrofitting existing ductwork may also lead to follow-up work involving patching sheetrock and framing spaces to route and hide ductwork throughout the home. Ductwork can waste lots of energy if not installed properly. Air can seep through holes or cracks in the ducts. Air ducts also tend to deteriorate over time. In comparison, Friedrich ductless mini-splits transport heat via super-insulated refrigerant lines allowing for efficient transfer of heat and low installation costs.
Friedrich ductless mini-splits require a dedicated electric circuit to supply energy to the equipment. Many home owners can repurpose an existing electric circuit from a baseboard heater that will be disconnected as part of the retrofit. Costs for a new electric circuit for a ductless mini-split may run as low as $300 per system. In comparison, putting in a gas furnace and air conditioner may require the installation of new gas lines from the city street. Adding a new gas connection to a home can increase cost by as much as $2,000-$4,000. A gas-less home that has electric baseboard heat (strip heat) can easily be retrofit with a Friedrich ductless mini-split system.
Friedrich mini-splits consist of a compact sized outdoor condensing unit and 1-4 indoor air handlers. One air handler is needed for each area of the home (zone) that needs to be heated or cooled. The outdoor unit is connected to the indoor air handler(s) via refrigerant and electric lines that run through a 3” hole in the wall. The outdoor condenser has a special coating that protects it from rust and corrosion that results from outdoor exposure. Lineset covers hide and protect the referigant lines and electrical circuit on the exterior of the home. Typical sizes for these linesets are 25’ or 50’. Most installations require 10’-15’ linesets made from copper. GP Conservation provides linesets that are 15’ or 35’. These are significantly cheaper lines because they are shorter and use less copper. A licensed HVAC contractor is needed to connect the indoor air handler and outdoor condenser via the lineset.
The electrical connection is simple and efficient. A dedicated circuit with shut-off switch must be installed on the exterior of the home. When operating in heating mode, the Friedrich mini-split outdoor condenser will extract heat from the exterior air to heat the refrigerant. The refrigerant circulates between the two components through the copper lineset. The indoor air handler will release heat into the living space air, and sends cooled refrigerant back to the outdoor condenser. The cycle continues until the desired temperature is reached. The operations run in reverse when the system is operating in cooling mode.
The outdoor condenser normally sits on a concrete fiber or plastic pad on the ground. If there is not ground space available, mounting it on the wall or setting it on the roof is also an option. If the outdoor unit is at a higher elevation than the indoor units, a small condensate pump will be installed to pump condensate from the indoor unit air handler to the outdoor unit. The indoor air handlers are wall-mounted, with as little as 2” clearance from the ceiling, which allows for proper dissemination of heated or cooled air throughout the living space.
Friedrich wall-mounted ductless split systems use advanced Inverter Technology. Inverter Technology helps to quickly reach and maintain the desired temperatures. Inverter driven compressors allow Friedrich mini-splits to run at many different speeds, always choosing the most efficient operating mode given thermostat settings, interior and exterior temperatures. Traditional space heaters have constant starts and stops during operation to maintain desired indoor temperatures. Inverter technology eliminates those “breaks” through precision control of rotation speed. This efficiency in Inverter Technology results in reduced energy consumption.
Emily Bartolme, marketing specialist for EcoTone Products, notes “There are a lot of advantages to installing a ductless mini-split heat pump system. Most important is comfort. Which the Friedrich definitely delivers. But also, here at EcoTone Products, conserving energy is a top priority. These ductless heat pump systems do the trick. Especially with a single-zone system. Personally, I think it’s better to use the single zone system for the living area, to get the highest efficiency and comfort where you need it most. Then use alternative back-up heating in the bedrooms. That is the EcoTone Products way.”
There are a few differences between the models. The wall-mounted single-zone systems are ENERGY STAR® qualified and achieve maximum energy efficiency for whole house heating and cooling. The wall-mounted multi-zone systems are not ENERGY STAR® qualified, however, multi-zone systems allow occupants to set independent temperatures in each zone. So, energy is saved by turning units off in unoccupied rooms. Another difference in model size is the system controller. Units with less than 18,000BTUs have a remote control, but units with 18,000BTUs or higher have the option to be operated by a wall mounted control.
When selecting the appropriate size and model heat pump for the home, an industry expert will be of assistance. Friedrich ductless mini-split systems can be ordered from the experts at EcoTone Products at 503-907-2901 or purchased online at gpconservation.com.
About EcoTone Products
EcoTone Products, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Pacific, Inc. EcoTone Products offers products and services engineered to optimize resources while maintaining high performance standards. The commitment to quality conservation products extends through their vast product line, which includes many energy conscious manufacturers. EcoTone Products has a focus of providing quality product solutions and support that assists our customers in reaching their conservation goals.
Emily Bartolme, EcoTone Products, LLC, http://www.ecotoneproducts.com, 503.907.2883, [email protected]
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