Many Oregonians have learned to endure some chill rather than face soaring winter electric bills.

But Don Slater, sales manager at McMinnville Heating, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, said technology that has been popular in Europe for decades offers a local solution — the ductless heat pump. He said it’s capable of providing winter comfort without breaking the bank.

Slater, who has spent more than 25 years in the heating industry, said ductless heat pumps are the most efficient and least expensive electric option available. “People who have them just love them,” he said.

Ductless systems are beginning to gain popularity in the U.S. because of backing being offered by organizations like The Energy Trust and Bonneville Power Administration.

They are capable of operating in exterior temperatures as low as 17 degrees Fahrenheit, without falling back on electric-resistance help. They operate quietly, provide air conditioning in the summer as well as heating in the winter, and are simple to install.

They are appropriate for replacement of existing ductless systems, notably baseboard and wall-mounted electric-resistance networks, as well as for installation in new homes.

Slater said they are available from many manufacturers, including Fujitsu, Daikin, LG, Sanyo and Mitsubishi Electric. Slater said home energy audits, performed as part of the process, can help homeowners settle on the system most appropriate for their house.

Ductless heat pumps deliver heated or cooled air directly, so avoid the typical 15 percent to 20 percent transmission loss associated with ductwork.

Models featuring inverter technology, facilitated by variable-speed compressors, avoid on-off cycling losses. They are able to provide usable heat on all but the very coldest of days.

Because they provide heating and cooling to specific rooms, the homeowner can maintain different temperatures in different parts of the house for maximum efficiency.

Slater said ductless heat pumps are sometimes called split or mini-split systems. They feature a ground-mounted unit outdoors and wall-mounted units indoors.

They operate on the same principle as traditional heat pumps, using electricity to compress and expand refrigerant as a means of moving heat between indoor and outdoor units in a given season’s desired direction.

Most new heat pumps, ductless or otherwise, feature the newer, less environmentally harmful refrigerant R-410a. Depending on their rated capacity, they may get by on 110 or require 220.

Split systems are most appropriate for homes with open floor plans, since each indoor “head” can serve an entire zone if doorways don’t thwart air flow. And Slater said wall-mounted indoor units are unobtrusive.

A cost-effective solution for a small house might feature installation of a ductless heat pump to serve the main living area, leaving existing electric baseboard heaters in service in bedrooms and bathrooms. They are also capable of replacing woodstoves as a principal source of heat.

They are worth considering when room is added to a house or an attic or basement is converted into living space, in lieu of extending the home’s existing ductwork system or adding new electric resistance heaters.

New homes can be designed or adapted to take advantage of the characteristics of ductless heat pumps. Typically, units are installed in various zones of the house to simplify installation and minimize refrigerant line length.

According to the state Department of Energy, heating and cooling may account for as much as half of total residential energy usage. It says ductless heat pump manufacturers maintain they can cut that component in half.

A number of financial incentives are currently available.

Homeowners can claim 30 percent of the cost of a qualifying system, up to $1,500, on their federal taxes. The state is granting an additional $400 tax credit, and labor charges associated with installation count on both the state and federal levels.

In addition, McMinnville Water & Light is passing along BPA rebates of up to $1,500 per system. The utility is also willing to finance the balance for up to 60 months and include the monthly payments in the homeowners monthly electric bill.

For a system running $4,500, a homeowner could qualify for $3,400 in credits and rebates, plus Water & Light financing of the remaining $1,100. And with proper maintenance, such a system should last around 20 years.

Several local heating and air conditioning companies are selling and installing ductless heating systems.

Jeff Pratt of The Heat Pump Store in Monmouth, which serves Yamhill County as well as others, was a member of the strategic BPA planning team that introduced ductless heating to the region in the fall of 2008. Since then, he says, more than 5,000 systems have been installed, saving an estimated 4,000 kilowatt hours of electrical power annually.

To qualify for credits, rebates and installment financing, systems must be pre-approved through Water & Light. That can be done by calling conservation specialist Matt Deppe at 503-435-3114.

Additional information may be obtained by calling the Oregon Department of Energy at 1-800-221-8035.