The short answer
Vents in good shape? Central AC. No vents? Mini split.
Central air is the cheapest way to cool a house that already has decent vents in the floors or ceilings. Without them, a mini split is the honest choice — and we will not try to sell you ductwork, because we do not do duct work.
Side by side
Both sides, plainly, including what each one is bad at.
Mini split (ductless)
One outdoor box feeding slim units in the rooms you choose.
- No ducts needed at all
- Each room sets its own temperature
- Heats as well as cools, from the same equipment
- Very quiet indoors, and nothing leaks away into a crawlspace
- You can see a unit on the wall in each room it serves
- The cost climbs once you get past three or four rooms
Central AC
One system cooling the whole house through your existing vents.
- Cheapest way to cool a whole house that already has good vents
- Nothing visible in your rooms except the vents that are already there
- One thermostat, one system, familiar to everyone
- Only works if the house already has vents in reasonable condition
- Cools only — your furnace still does all the heating
- No real room-by-room control
Which one is you?
Pick a mini split if…
The house has no vents, or you are cooling an addition, a garage conversion, a rental unit or one stubborn room. It is also the right answer when the existing ducts are genuinely poor and you would rather not spend money on them.
Pick central AC if…
You have sound ducts and a furnace you plan to keep, and you want the whole house cooled for the lowest install price. When the ducts are good, this is usually the better value.
Not sure what condition your ducts are in?
We measure the airflow and tell you honestly which way your house points, before anyone quotes you equipment.
Get My Upfront Quote60 seconds online · or call (206) 486-6373
What each one costs
Typical industry ranges for Western Washington — not a quote. Your exact price comes upfront, before any work starts, and you approve it first.
Why homeowners hand it to us
- You approve the price first. Upfront quote before a single screw turns.
- Same-day service. Book in a minute, hear from a tech within 1 business hour.
- 500+ jobs done by 4.9★ rated, professional technicians.
- Fixed right, guaranteed. If it’s not right, we make it right.
Quick answers
How many units would I need?
One for each area you actually want cooled. An open main floor is often a single unit. Bedrooms usually get their own. We size it on your house and how you live in it, not on a square-footage rule.
Are the indoor units ugly?
The wall unit is visible, there is no getting around that. Ceiling and low-wall versions are less obvious, and modern ones are far slimmer than the units people remember. Worth looking at one in person before you decide.
My ducts are in bad shape. Fix them, or go ductless?
Both are legitimate and we will tell you straight which suits your house. We do not do duct sealing or duct replacement, so if the ducts are the right fix we will say so and point you to that trade rather than sell around it.
Does a mini split heat as well?
Yes. Every one we install is a heat pump, so the same unit warms the room in winter and cools it in summer. That is a big part of why people choose them.
Is a mini split noisy?
Indoors, no — they are among the quietest things you can put in a room. The outdoor box makes some noise, the same as any air conditioner, and we place it with that in mind.
Let the house decide, not the brochure.
Book the visit. We look at the ducts, measure the airflow, and price the path that genuinely fits.
Get My Upfront Quote60 seconds online · or call (206) 486-6373
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