The History of the Ductless Mini-Split System
The ductless mini-split system was first developed in Japan and marketed in the 1950s by Mitsubishi and Toshiba. This innovative invention was born of necessity as Japanese homes were generally smaller than standard U.S. homes and, with their thin walls and compact neighborhoods, unable to accommodate the ductwork, grills, registers, air handlers, condensers, and furnaces required by American HVAC systems. Mini-split systems were small, adaptable, and eliminated the need for ductwork. Evaporators were wall-mounted, and condensers could be located on the ground, roof, or shelf outside the home. In 1973, Daikin invented the multi-zone mini-split system, and later introduced variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems in 1982.
Ductless mini-split systems have long been the standard choice for HVAC throughout Europe and Asia, and have only recently become popular here in the U.S. They’re often in homes to cool high-load spaces like family rooms, Florida rooms, bedrooms, and upstairs playrooms. In addition to comfort cooling in homes and businesses, mini-splits are commonly used in manufacturing facilities, IT/AV rooms, food storage areas, healthcare, and R&D facilities, just to name a few. Technology has advanced to include heat pumps for both cooling and heating, and VRF systems, which incorporate multiple evaporators with one condenser to heat or cool individual spaces, are becoming highly popular in North America, as well.
E.P. Homiek Sheet Metal & HVAC Supply carries ductless mini-split systems by Goodman, Daikin, Seabreeze, Friedrich, and York Commercial.
About E.P. Homiek
E.P. Homiek Sheet Metal Fabrication & HVAC Supply, with two convenient locations in Lakewood, NJ and Union, NJ, provides one- to two-day turnaround on all residential and light commercial ductwork, as well as one- to two-hour emergency fabrication service, rapid delivery, and competitive prices. HVAC parts, supplies, and equipment lines include Goodman, Honeywell, Bryant, Bradford White, Crown Boiler, Daikin, Weil-McLain, Sea Breeze, Generac, Fantech, ZM, A.O. Smith, Hart & Cooley, Malco, Mueller, and many more.
