Ductless HVAC

[disneychrista]

We looked into both when we were looking for central air and settled on the Mitsubishi mini split and are we glad we did!! We have two 9,000 BTU wall units that heat/cool our downstairs and a 9,000 BTU unit in the master bedroom and a 6,000 BTU unit in the two guest bedrooms. We’re on our third year with this system and can’t be any happier with it. The wall units are very quiet, even at the higher fan speed, and after a while they just blended in and we barely notice them. The big plus for us living in the northeast is that we can use it to heat the house in the winter. Over the past three winters we’ve cut our oil bill by approximately $2,000 per winter. Now to qualify that my city is a municipal electric so our electric bill is significantly lower than surrounding towns. My highest electric bill, running the units exclusively in the winter and summer, was $156. The picture below is one of the 9,000 BTU units in our downstairs.
View attachment 875884

The one quote I have gotten so far is for Mitsubishi. Are you able to control the mini-splits from your phone? Like if you are on vacation and want to turn it the day you are returning?

 

[The Mayor]

The one quote I have gotten so far is for Mitsubishi. Are you able to control the mini-splits from your phone? Like if you are on vacation and want to turn it the day you are returning?

There was an option to purchase Wi-Fi cloud interface but we didn’t get it. We were quoted $275 per wall unit. It wasn’t something we needed. Our whole system was $18,000 and it was installed in March 2022.

 

[disneychrista]

There was an option to purchase Wi-Fi cloud interface but we didn’t get it. We were quoted $275 per wall unit. It wasn’t something we needed. Our whole system was $18,000 and it was installed in March 2022.

Thank you. It wasn’t something I ever though I’d use either. Didn’t even have them set it up when I installed the new thermostat. When I went on my Disneyland trip in May I set it up and I love it now.

 

[JensHiggls]

I switched to ductless a few years ago and it cooled better than my old setup. My bill went down a bit, and the wall units didn’t bother me after a week.

 

[tvguy]

Since this thread started I have added a mini split unit to one room at our house and we love it. We only run it when someone is in the room, and have not noticed any impact on our electric bill.
We added onto the house 30+ years ago. Bedroom/half bath with the laundry closet in there. My wife uses it for her daily workouts. It is on the SOUTH side of the house at the furthest point from our existing HVAC unit with huge dual pane windows. It was almost always cold in the winter, and hot in the summer. We had to replace all the HVAC ducting last year, and they could not get to the ducting in the addition without removing the floor to access the ducting. So we put the mini-split in. I am not talented like my friend I mentioned several years ago upthread, so I had to pay to have it put int. $8,000 installed. We only have one head unit on it, but it is designed to operate up to 4. Not sure what it costs to add head units to the system.

 

[goofyernmost]

Hmmmm. I always thought that ductless HVAC was also known as Window Air Conditioners. How does that work or is it just plastic hose delivery instead of metal ductwork. To me it is still ducted and what is used as ductwork still the same job but probably cheaper for a while, at least. To me that is when the old saying... "you get what you pay for" comes into play. This is just my uneducated opinion about HVAC systems since in the last couple of decades, I have been deeply involved with apartment living and I don't really care unless it isn't working.

 

[disneychrista]

Hmmmm. I always thought that ductless HVAC was also known as Window Air Conditioners. How does that work or is it just plastic hose delivery instead of metal ductwork. To me it is still ducted and what is used as ductwork still the same job but probably cheaper for a while, at least. To me that is when the old saying... "you get what you pay for" comes into play. This is just my uneducated opinion about HVAC systems since in the last couple of decades, I have been deeply involved with apartment living and I don't really care unless it isn't working.

It looks kinda like this.

 

[goofyernmost]

It looks kinda like this.
View attachment 1050841

Seems like a window AC with no window. I assume it also contains a heat pump as a part of it as well. Would one need one of those units for every room you had to put it in ?

 

[eticketplease]

Seems like a window AC with no window. I assume it also contains a heat pump as a part of it as well. Would one need one of those units for every room you had to put it in ?

I'm not sure exactly how they work but they are all over Europe. The one house we stayed at in Italy just had it in one room and it was a 4 bedroom house.

 

[disneychrista]

Seems like a window AC with no window. I assume it also contains a heat pump as a part of it as well. Would one need one of those units for every room you had to put it in ?

It is more like the units in a motel. They replace your heater & AC.

I have a split in each room but because my home is small and the location of the unit in the living room I can just leave the doors open and they get enough heat/ac.

 

[tvguy]

Seems like a window AC with no window. I assume it also contains a heat pump as a part of it as well. Would one need one of those units for every room you had to put it in ?

Mine can operate 4. But looking online, some models can operate 8. The plumbing for mine runs under the floor then upside a closet to the head unit . Yes, the outside unit is the heat pump that will operate multiple control heads. Only lived with a window ac unit for 3 years, NEVER EVER EVER again. No water dripping inside, quiet operation, with a thermostat. Around here it is getting more common for new places like 1,000 square foot condos to have this as their exclusive source of heat and cooling.

 

[NotUrsula]

Seems like a window AC with no window. I assume it also contains a heat pump as a part of it as well. Would one need one of those units for every room you had to put it in ?

Depends on the size and layout of the rooms, but generally they are most useful for smaller structures. All my kids' apartments have them. The "split" heat pump section that lives outside takes the unpleasant part of the unit away from your indoor environment -- no dripping water, much quieter, and none of the constant battle of the heat generated by the motor leaking into the house through the rest of the unit.