My home in Arlington Heights, Illinois, was built in the late 1800’s. My husband and I fell in love with the hardwood floors, moldings, doors and stairway. The large windows and intricate millwork are just beautiful. Unfortunately, the home is very difficult to heat and cold. Because of a lack of conventional ductwork, we’ve needed to get creative. When we first moved in, we bought a pellet stove for the kitchen. I hated it. The unit required constant care, created fumes and took up a great deal of space. We eventually exchanged the pellet stove for a ventless gas heater. This provided little improvement. The ventless heater struggled to manage the extreme cold of local winters. As a single stage model, it would blast heat and shut down repeatedly, causing unpleasant temperature swings. I finally consulted with a local HVAC contractor who suggested an upgrade to a ductless mini split. This has been the ideal solution. The ductless system was installed in a matter of hours and without mess or disruption. I now have an outdoor compressor that is so quiet I never know if it’s running or not. A three-inch hole in an exterior wall accommodates a conduit that links the outdoor and indoor unit. The indoor handler is compact and modern-looking. It provides powerful heating as well as effective air conditioning. I’m able to customize the speed and direction of airflow and make adjustments to temperature with a cordless remote. The system operates quietly and even helps to dehumidify in the summer. It has made a huge improvement to the enjoyment of my kitchen.
