Monosplit, dualsplit, or multisplit air conditioners: which to choose based on the size of your home?

How do you choose the right air conditioner? There are so many options, and we at Climando understand this well. Monosplit, dualsplit, or multisplit? This is the first choice you'll have to make. Each of these systems has specific features and advantages, but it's the square footage that ultimately determines your purchase. Let's take a detailed look at everything you need to know.

How splits work

Split air conditioners work on a simple principle: an external unit, located outside the home, expels the heat collected by one or more internal units located in the various rooms.

The monosplit system is the simplest and features a single indoor unit connected to a single outdoor unit. The dualsplit , as the name suggests, connects two indoor units to the same outdoor unit. Meanwhile, the multisplit system allows you to connect three or more indoor units to a single outdoor unit, in some cases up to five or six indoor split units, depending on the system's power.

Each option has advantages and limitations, but what truly differentiates them is their adaptability to the size and structure of the home. In small spaces, a simple and economical solution can be perfectly effective. In larger spaces, however, it's necessary to think in terms of balanced coverage , airflow distribution, and independent temperature regulation.

When to choose a monosplit

A monosplit air conditioner is one of the most compact and economical options, ideal for a studio or two-room apartment, preferably an open-plan one. The system boasts a competitive price and is also easy to install.

In spaces up to about 50 square meters, a well-sized monosplit with a medium-high BTU can improve living comfort in both summer and winter.

In multi-story or multi-room homes , however, it's not the best choice because it won't be able to adequately cool (or heat) all the rooms. In these cases, installing multiple independent mono-splits isn't always the best solution, both due to the aesthetic impact of multiple outdoor units and the increased overall installation and maintenance costs.

The dual split as an intermediate solution

Among the best-selling solutions are dual-split air conditioners , which consist of two indoor units connected to a single outdoor unit. This system is a best-seller and is popular in medium-sized apartments up to approximately 80 square meters. One unit is typically installed in the living area, cooling the living room and kitchen, and another in the bedroom.

The ability to independently regulate the temperature in the two rooms guarantees flexibility and energy savings, as it avoids unnecessarily cooling unoccupied rooms.

However, it is important that the system is sized correctly: the power of the outdoor unit must be sufficient to handle the overall needs of the two indoor units . A common mistake is to overload the outdoor unit with overly powerful indoor units, reducing the overall efficiency of the system.

Multisplit: complete air conditioning for large homes

If the house has multiple floors, numerous rooms, or exceeds 80 square meters, it's best to opt for a multi-split solution . Here, too, a single outdoor unit controls multiple indoor units.

Typically, up to three or four rooms can be individually cooled, making this option ideal for homes, studios, offices, or hospitality facilities. The benefits include reduced external space requirements and the ability to customize the air conditioning to the specific needs of each room, maintaining different temperatures based on usage and desired comfort.

BTUs in air conditioners

Let's not overlook the potential of BTUs , that is, the power needed to cool or heat a given space. A very important aspect is choosing the most suitable system considering the size of the space.

We at Climando usually recommend between 7,000 and 9,000 BTU for rooms up to 20 square meters, 12,000 or 14,000 BTU for those of 40 square meters and up to 24,000 BTU divided into multiple internal units in houses of 100 square meters.