Central Air vs Ductless Mini Split
Red Mittens
3 years ago
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Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioners
Comments (2)"Loft" means one big open space? Square feet means little compared to insulation, air permeability and climate. Cooling only or heat pump? Manufacturers generally all make a lot of sizes for different applications so I don't understand your problem in choosing your "system". Do you want to heat your water with this system?...See MoreMini Split or Central Air for this house?
Comments (8)I think the bias is largely cost, not so bad if you are installing ducts in fur downs in a home that never had ducts. There is an architect locally that puts furdowns in all his new construction homes. he is known for building energy efficient homes. if it wasn't one of his selling points (the savings we get with ducts out of hot humid attics) the average joe on the street wouldn't realize anything out of the ordinary. his furdowns are simply part of the design of the interior. they compliment the style of the house, rather than being obvious. sadly, he is one of the few on the same page as myself. it is mostly in existing homes that I'm involved in moving both equipment into conditioned space. in most cases we make an unvented foam sealed .. semi conditioned attic..in other cases we seal the ceiling to create a tight air barrier to the attic..and insulate attic well (conventional vented attic with ins on attic floor) then closet fur downs ... as you know, the layout of the house has to lend itself to the furdowns. you can do it simply...like in my house where the only furdown not in a closet is across the kitchen wall ...and just paint it to match the wall. no one really notices mine at all. or you can make the fur down a stand out or part of a trey ceiling. in my experience, it has to be the right homeowner, the right house & hvac company that will either do the furdowns..or just set up for someone else to build furdowns. everyone has to be on the same page. it isn't the most popular install...but is by far the most efficient one. here in hot humid La. there is a savings for getting ducts & equipment out of extreme attic temps. as are in many areas....See MoreDuctless mini split : Mitsubish vs. other cheap brands
Comments (1)"Why someone would buy Mitsubishi/Carrier when there is much cheaper option." Because Mitsubishi is an established brand with a good reputation - the others are...... well....... as a rule, an unknown. Note that you can buy a Mitsubishi Mr Cool DIY system for around $1500, but finding a reputable installer may be a challenge (because they can no longer bury the labor charge and/or can't mark up the equipment). The smallest Mr Cool, I believe is 12,000BTU which is too big for your needs. Mitsubishi make smaller units but not in the DIY series, so you end up getting screwed by the contractor again!...See MoreMini Split System vs Central Air
Comments (5)What's the difference btwn a split heat pump and a mini split? Some mini splits are cool only. If you buy a heat pump version of the mini split it provides heat as well as cooling modes. A split system heat pump attached to duct work comes in larger capacity sizing than what is typical in a mini split form factor. Because you have the ability to run duct work the amount of equipment needed in conjunction with a split system heat pump is significantly reduced. Heat pumps have cons to them. A run of the mill single speed heat pump will lose heat capacity once OAT's drop below freezing. Often times mini split performance will be better in terms of delivering heat at lower temps than a 'run of the mill' split system heat pump. The magic happens when you pair an inverter split system heat pump. Then performance is on par / some cases better than mini split. So realize this market is not a 'one size' fits all market. What is good for you ultimately depends on your climate & your comfort goals. The better split system heat pumps cost more money. But with that they deliver better comfort, reduce amount of energy needed to operate. If you are in a colder climate a 'run of the mill' single speed heat pump will require an additional 'back up' or emergency heat source. If your current heat source is electric strip heat --- then with that option a high light bill is still possible. (really cold weather takes out the heat pump / forces you to run the emergency heat) I have an inverter heat pump at my home in Katy, Texas - this can deliver heat down to 5F. Due to my climate I probably will never require back up emergency heat. (Unless of course the heat pump breaks down.)...See MoreRed Mittens
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agonexp
3 years agoConsumerhome
3 years ago
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