The Samsung brand is well known throughout the world. In fact, Samsung helped shape the digital revolution with its innovations in smartphones, flat-screen TVs and other electronics.
Not as well known is the company’s offerings in the area of HVAC products and consumer comfort, where it offers a wide range of ductless and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems.
According to Donnie King, distribution development director, Samsung HVAC, Roanoke, Texas, the Whisper is just the latest of many HVAC products available from the company. He says Samsung HVAC ductless products help homeowners and contractors cool those difficult-to-control zones in the home.
“Our room air condition (RAC) product line comes in several varieties of styles and efficiencies,” says King. “The flagship product is the Whisper line, which has several features that separate it from other ductless products on the market. The triangle design allows for more airflow in a smaller cabinet while keeping the unit quiet.”
Ductless products can solve problem areas in a home that traditional ductwork just can’t without a large investment in labor and time,—said Donnie King
The new Whisper mini-split air conditioner from Samsung HVAC is engineered to deliver cooling, comfort and health benefits via a triangle body design. The design reportedly offers longer, larger and faster airflow. An enlarged inlet port increases air intake by up to 39 percent while a wider front blade ensures a throw of up to 46 feet.
The Whisper’s Smart Inverter Compressor cools 25 percent more quickly than conventional Samsung air conditioning systems. Once the room has reached the desired temperature, the Whisper automatically transitions to keep the room at a comfortable, cool temperature using indirect airflow, minimum fan speed and a dehumidification feature.
The system’s capacity control allows the user to select certain modes, depending on whether the air conditioner is cooling a single person (single user mode) or a crowded room (full mode). The addition of a wind baffle to the outdoor unit allows the unit to run in the cooling mode to very cold temperatures. All Whisper systems are Energy Star-rated.
The filter, called an Easy Filter, can be removed in a single step. It filters floating viruses, fungi and allergens to improve indoor air quality. The Whisper can be controlled via a smartphone; a free app allows home control from any location that has Internet access.
Wi-Fi features are accessed via a free App that works with Apple and Android smartphones. Features include seven-day programmability, four programs per day and service reminders.
“An energy-usage feature allows homeowners to tell the app how much they want to spend per kW; the app will calculate what that zone will cost, broken down by day, month and year,” King explains. “This allows homeowners to make logical decisions when deciding when to run the system.”
“Wi-Fi is the next advancement in HVAC. It’s not if homeowners will ask for it, it’s when. Wi-Fi is the first step to a smart home.”
Samsung also offers a smaller, high-efficiency one-to-one system called the Pearl, which reaches 28 SEER and is Wi-Fi enabled out of the box. In addition, the company recently introduced small indoor ducted models in capacities from 18 to 49 Mbtu. These units allow contractors to offer room-by-room comfort while keeping the rooms’ look and structure unchanged.
From air cleaning capabilities to Wi-Fi control, the systems are designed to not only cool or warm, but to integrate into the home seamlessly. An auto changeover feature, available on both Whisper and Pearl units, automatically selects the operating mode (cool or heat), according to the temperature setting. When a desired temperature is selected to the auto mode, the units h
eat and cool as required to maintain the set temperature.
Fast Growing Segment
Ductless is the fastest growing segment of the HVAC industry in the U.S. and Samsung is part of that growth, according to King. Ductless systems cool problem areas and offer energy savings to homeowners. Contractors who install the systems can increase profits by minimizing labor and installation time.
“Ductless products can solve problem areas in a home that traditional ductwork just can’t without a large investment in labor and time,” says King. “A 1:1 ductless unit can be installed alongside a change-out system with almost no extra time for the install. This saves the contractor and the homeowner time and money.”
Samsung HVAC recently opened a distribution center in Roanoke, Texas (just outside Ft. Worth). The new corporate office and warehouse comprises nearly 250,000-sq.ft. The facility is used for training as well as storing Samsung mini-split and VRF systems.
The company offers training for distributors and contractors for all its products. Schedules are subject to location and many of its distributors have training centers in their buildings. The company’s Roanoke facility offers state-of-the-art training, with all equipment operational and controlled within a room. Each student can work on software and controls from his or her desk.
“Samsung’s training center in Roanoke has operational variable refrigerant flow (VRF) and mini-split equipment,” says King. “Twenty-four workstations are connected to the VRF control system, which allows each student to train on the controls from his or her desk. TV monitors allow interaction between students and trainers on each system in the room.”
Quietside LLC imports and distributes Samsung HVAC equipment to wholesale distributors throughout the U.S. and Canada. Founded in 1998, Quietside provides distributors with a wide range of products from a single source, and currently serves 1,300 locations across North America.
“The company was founded in 1998 as the master distributor of Samsung-branded mini-splits,” King explains. “This remained the case until 2014, when Samsung Electronics USA purchased the company. The new company now operates as Quietside LLC, a subsidiary of Samsung U.S. It markets Samsung HVAC products through local and regional distribution channels.”
Although it has not yet developed contractor incentive programs, Samsung HVAC works closely with its distributors and wholesale reps to make sure distributors have the tools they need to impact their individual markets.
Samsung HVAC does see some challenges in the near future, as the company explains on its website, “One of the many challenges for us is to introduce our air conditioning (mini-split, ductless) technology to the masses and to let people know that the same people and passion that make LED TVs and smartphones also make our air conditioners. Samsung is relentless when it comes to company reinvestment and R&D, which is a good thing not only for the company and its shareholders, but also for the consumer.”