The honest answer to this question usually comes down to your ducts. If the house has ductwork in reasonable shape, central air or a ducted heat pump is often the simpler, cheaper path. If it has none, or the ducts are crushed and leaking in a hot attic, a mini split starts to look a lot better.
Where central air makes sense
Central systems hide almost everything. You see a few grilles and a thermostat, and the equipment lives in the attic and the side yard. For a 1960s ranch in Studio City with a clean attic and existing ducts, a new central AC or heat pump is usually the simplest path, and it conditions the whole house evenly.
The weak point is the ducts. If they were installed decades ago, a new system will still lose cooling through them. Budget for a duct test, and possibly replacement, before comparing prices.
Where mini splits win
Many Burbank and Glendale bungalows were built with a wall heater and no ducts at all. Hillside homes in the Hollywood Hills often have flat roofs or no usable attic. In those houses, running new ducts means opening ceilings. A mini split needs a small hole through the wall for each indoor unit.
Mini splits also give each room its own temperature. A single-zone system is the quickest fix for one bedroom or office. A whole house with five or more zones is a bigger project, and it can rival a ducted system in cost.
Looks and noise
Wall-mounted heads are visible, and that bothers some homeowners. Ceiling cassettes and concealed ducted units solve most of that, at a higher price. Indoor units are very quiet. Outdoor units for both types are quieter than older condensers, and placement matters more than the brand.
Rebates
Nearly every mini split is a heat pump, and in LADWP territory ductless heat pumps can qualify for a higher per-ton rebate than ducted systems. Check your utility first: the Hollywood Hills and Studio City are on LADWP, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood are on SCE, and Burbank and Glendale have their own city utilities.
A quick way to decide
- Good ducts and an attic: start with central air or a ducted heat pump.
- No ducts, or no attic: start with a mini split.
- One problem room: a single-zone mini split is the cheapest fix.
- Big house, mixed needs: a central system plus a few ductless heads.
We price both options during the estimate when both make sense, so you can compare real numbers for your house.
