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Ductless heating and cooling systems, long a staple of many overseas residential HVAC markets, are catching on in the U.S.

With their increased popularity come a number of ductless system options, or accessories, that can enhance comfort and style in the home and make things more appealing — and perhaps easier to sell – for residential contractors.

The ACHR NEWS recently contacted several companies to ask about some of their options and accessories for ductless systems. Here’s a roundup of the products they told us about.

Daikin One Lite

The Daikin One Lite is a smart, connected, wall-mounted thermostat that replaces a handheld control for most Daikin ductless products. The One Lite is a budget-friendly solution for replacing a hand-held control for Daikin ductless systems, said Jim Lowell, internet of things (IoT) solutions manager for Dakin Comfort Technologies North America.

“The Daikin One Lite thermostat replaces the handheld control with a wall-mounted, connected thermostat that can be controlled locally, or with voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, or from virtually anywhere with the Daikin One Home app,” Lowell said. “Onboard temperature and humidity sensors help improve comfort and efficiency.”

The One Lite is easy to install, Lowell said, and requires just a four-wire connection to the indoor unit. Some models of ductless systems may require an additional adaptor to connect to the indoor unit, he said.

“After installation, and with customers’ permission, the contractor can remotely check on the system’s operational parameters and performance, remotely make adjustments, and be notified of errors in real time, using Daikin One Cloud Services,” Lowell said.

LG Art Cool

COOL ART: The LG Art Cool is an indoor unit for ductless systems with a frame in the front that can display a drawing, painting, or photograph of the homeowner’s choosing. (Courtesy of LG Air Conditioning Technologies)

LG’s Art Cool Gallery line of indoor units for ductless heat-plump systems, available in 9,000 Btuh and 12,000 Btuh capacities, offer quiet operation, and efficient inverter technology on the outdoor unit, said Jonathan Marshall, senior applications engineer at LG Air Conditioning Technologies.

Art Cool units can be customized to fit a user’s tastes and aesthetic sensibility.

“The models come with a frame that allows the customer to modify and personalize the unit with their own artwork or photography — the ultimate in custom design-plus with energy-efficient inverter technology,” said Marshall. “Change the picture as often as you wish by simply lifting the front panel up and out and sliding in the new artwork.” The Art Cool is also available with a mirror finish.

Marshall said the units offer installation flexibility and are a good option where ducting is difficult to route. Some Art Cool models incorporate LG’s LGRed technology, which offers 100% heating capacity at an ambient temperature as low as 5°F and continuous heating at temperatures down to -13°F.

“This enhanced performance not only delivers heat when traditional models are unable without a supplemental heat source, but does so with energy efficiency,” Marshall said.

The Art Cool indoor units have self-cleaning coils, can be controlled remotely, have a Chaos Wind mode that approximates a more natural flow or air, and also have a Jet Cool mode that operates the fan at high speed for 30 minutes in order to quickly cool a room, Marshall said.

Midea In One-Way

TOP-DOWN TECHNOLOGY: The Midea In One-Way Cassette is an indoor unit for ductless systems that fits between ceiling joists and lowers a panel for filter access with the touch of a button. (Courtesy of Midea)

The Midea In One-Way Cassette is an indoor unit for Midea single- and multizone ductless heat-pump systems. The Midea In One-Way is designed to fit between ceiling joists, which makes it an idea option for new homes, and home additions and conversions, said David Rames, a senior product manager at Midea.

Rames said the In One-Way offers precision heating and cooling, is capable of conditioning larger rooms, is well-suited for open floor plans, and provides an even distribution of air in a room.

“As they are installed in the ceiling, In One-Way Cassettes can save space and provide a cleaner, more professional look while providing independent temperature control to the room that it’s installed in,” Rames said.

The In One-Way is easy to install, Rames said, and with a touch of a button on the remote or smart controller, its Elevation Panel can be lowered for easy access to the filter. Side panels, the company said, provide access to the circuit board and built-in condensate pump, which means the In One-Way requires no additional water pump on the side of the unit.

Panasonic nanoe X

XING OUT GERMS: Panasonic nanoe X is an IAQ technology that can deodorize as well as combat contaminants, allergens, and pollen. It’s built into Panasonic’s ClimaPure XE ductless heat-pump system, an indoor unit of which is shown here. (Courtesy of Panasonic Eco Systems North America)

Panasonic’s nanoe X is an IAQ technology that generates hydroxyl radicals that can deodorize as well as combat contaminants, allergens, and pollen, said Kevin Smith, general manager of the Life & Device Solutions Division and Visual Solutions Department at Panasonic Canada.

Nanoe X, used in products from hair dryers to a/c units, has been incorporated into Panasonic’s flagship ClimaPure XE series of ductless heat-pump systems, Smith said. Panasonic says it has about 850 patents related to nanoe X technology and products.

“The nanoe X generator runs continuously within the ductless system, enabling a clean, healthy, and comfortable indoor air environment,” said Smith. “The production of hydroxyl radicals consistently inhibits harmful bacteria and viruses and reduces odor intensity, even tackling tough odors produced by cooking, pets and the use of sports gear.”

The Panasonic nanoe X generates hydroxyl radicals by capturing moisture in the air and applying high voltage to it, the company said. The hydroxyl radicals, given increased longevity because they are contained in water, are dispersed by the fans on a ClimaPure system’s indoor unit and bind easily to the contaminants that they can destroy, the company said.

Applying the technology, Smith said, necessitates no additional installation work, as it’s incorporated into the ClimaPure units. “No service is required, and there are no filters that can clog and require regular changes and cleaning,” Smith said.

Tadiran Airow 3

AIR CLEANSER: The Tadiran Airow 3 is a new IAQ device that fits into mini-split units, ceiling cassettes, and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) ductless split systems. (Courtesy of Tadiran International)

Coming soon to the U.S. market is the Tadiran Airow 3, a compact hydrogen peroxide IAQ device engineered to fit into mini-split units, ceiling cassettes, and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) ductless split systems.

The Tadiran Airow 3 works by using a discharge current to break oxygen molecules into two separate atoms. The free oxygen atoms combine with water molecules in the airflow and transform into purifying hydrogen peroxide, according to Tadiran International, which is based in Israel. The hydrogen peroxide is distributed through the indoor unit, traveling into the conditioned space and breaking down the walls, membranes, and structures of airborne pathogens.

“Our test reports prove that our technology effectively reduces viruses, mold and bacteria, therefore providing the indoor occupants with healthier and cleaner air being less susceptible to the dangers of breathing these pathogens,” said Yael Meir, chief marketing and product officer for the Indoor Air Quality and Innovation Division at Tadiran.

For example, test results showed Tadiran Airow 3 was able to reduce the COVID-19 virus by 99.9%-plus, inside a chamber of 36 cubic meters, over a period of 60 minutes, Meir said. The quantity of hydrogen peroxide released by the device was below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s occupational exposure limit of hydrogen peroxide, over an eight-hour period, of 1 ppm.

The Airow 3 device is easy to install (but must be done by a technician) and requires no maintenance, Meir said.

“The goal was to enable easy and quick installation as well as providing a maintenance-free solution to alleviate the concern of the homeowner of having to continuously invest in maintaining the device in order for it to perform at its maximum efficacy,” she said.

Tadiran Airow 3, introduced earlier this year in Israel and some European markets, will be distributed in the U.S. by Field Controls, a provider of IAQ solutions.