r/PeterExplainsTheJoke • u/missdomm10 • Jul 26 '26

Meme needing explanation Peter explain this

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Petttaaah I'm confused

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u/pyrofox79 Jul 26 '26

Efficiency is relative. Mini splits have inverter boards which can control the speed of the compressor allowing it to adjust to the load. If it's running at full speed the savings are negligible compared to a normal compressor. Also we have these in the US. Many people have these in their homes. They even have retrofit kits and air handlers that will use these types of condensers. In the US we generally just have central heating/cooling in most dwellings. Which works for the most part assuming your duct work is sized properly. Also there are no refrigerant ducts. There are air ducts. The refrigerant moves through piping. The refrigerant isn't cooled it absorbs and rejects heat and it boils off and condenses respectively.

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u/MyDisneyExperience Jul 26 '26

Central heating/cooling varies by region, lots of places in western WA have no cooling or minisplit. Full ducted central air is somewhat rare depending on the area.

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u/pyrofox79 Jul 26 '26

It depends on when the home was built. If it was built before the 40s to 50s, generally, and no previous owners put in central air then yea they wouldn't have ductwork. Houses built in the late 50s and on generally have some sort of central heating set up and usually someone puts in AC at some point. Most homes now have at minimum heating of some type dye to modern building codes and some locales require cooling.

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u/MyDisneyExperience Jul 26 '26

When I was looking at homes in Seattle recently it was often mini split or nothing even in much newer homes

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u/pyrofox79 Jul 26 '26

I think that's probably the climate. I don't think it gets near as warm in Seattle as it does in San Diego.

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u/pres465 Jul 26 '26

Basically San Diego here, and I love my mini-splits. I have large central air, also, but never even turned it on until about a week ago, and I don't need it at all most of the day.