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I have a standard gas furnace to heat my house. A far-off portion of my house is consistently several degrees colder than the rest (due to the length of the duct-work to get there, I think)
I just read that ductless mini-split heat pumps are convenient and inexpensive way to heat portions of the house. The area in question is about 500 square feet, the house is in Portland, OR - winter temperatures typically range from 30s to 40s.
Does anybody use the ductless mini-split heat pumps? Any advice about my options?
A far-off portion of my house is consistently several degrees colder than the rest...
Was this section a remodel? Has it always been colder?
Are your ductwork joints sealed? Insulated?
Have you had a reliable HVAC contractor in to check on all these things?
Quote:
I just read that ductless mini-split heat pumps...
They're a popular choice if you need AC too.
For a 500sf (x8) space... 4000watts of baseboard would do the whole job.
As a supplement to central heat... half or even less might be enough.
Like a simple inexpensive space heater... LINK
I had a similar situation that I solved with a mini-split heat pump and I have no regrets about it. I'm amazed at how well it works even when the outside temp drops below freezing. Here in central NC it regularly gets into the 20s during the winter. I did tons of research about different brands and ended up buying a Mitsubishi Mr Slim. I bought it from ecomfort.com. They can help you figure out exactly what size unit you need, based on sqft and other factors.
Without an actual visual inspection it would be hard to even speculate, but...
a mini-split "might" be the answer. Then again, there could be other reasons.
I would strongly suggest having a HVAC tech evaluate the current system- tonnage, leakage, proficiency, etc. Then evaluate the rest of the house- mainly insulation.
It could be such a reach for the system that a second system would be recommended- but not necessarily a mini-split.
Adding a second HVAC system that is attached to that branchline (disconnected from existing system) may be the best course. Or it maybe possible to add a multi-zone system to the existing ductwork. Then again, it could be something as easy as adding a booster fan-
But again, without a thorough inspection of the current system it's all speculation on my part.
I was just quoted $6000 to have one installed. I thought that was really high. I was pricing just the unit and I found them as cheap as $400 online. At Home Depot, they are around a $1000. It doesn't seem that hard to install. I'm wondering what the labor should be.
I was just quoted $6000 to have one installed. I thought that was really high. I was pricing just the unit and I found them as cheap as $400 online. At Home Depot, they are around a $1000. It doesn't seem that hard to install. I'm wondering what the labor should be.
I was quoted $13k. Consider your quote a bargain!
From what I've gleaned from assorted posts, the installation costs are high because it's still a specialized product. Once more people get in the game and competition heats up, costs will go down. Theoretically.
Still no word on how well these systems work in the NorthEast, though, for heating and cooling. Some folks have said they have a hard time with humidity.
I had a similar situation that I solved with a mini-split heat pump and I have no regrets about it. I'm amazed at how well it works even when the outside temp drops below freezing. Here in central NC it regularly gets into the 20s during the winter. I did tons of research about different brands and ended up buying a Mitsubishi Mr Slim. I bought it from ecomfort.com. They can help you figure out exactly what size unit you need, based on sqft and other factors.
I got the same unit for our addition. A 600 square foot area with a basic Mr Slim. Costs us about $150
per year to heat and cool the entire addition to a comfortable level, and it's quiet. Cost about $3500 installed, as well.
It has no problem with the Midatalantic humidity and heat in the summer, even when outside temps are over 100, and it had no problem heating the space when temps outside dropped to negative degrees F.
I was just quoted $6000 to have one installed. I thought that was really high. I was pricing just the unit and I found them as cheap as $400 online. At Home Depot, they are around a $1000. It doesn't seem that hard to install. I'm wondering what the labor should be.
The warranty periods on the units themselves vary quite a bit from manufacturer to manufacturer. Most of these ductless units are foreign made, require certification from the manufacturer for warranty returns. Certification is a continual process called "continuing education" as new technology or changes to the existing technology occur.
Units that are sold over the internet do not come with any warranty whatsoever from the manufacturer. If the website vendor states any manufacturer warranty for a DIY purchase over the internet they are committing fraud.
When a certified licensed contractor purchases your unit his license number is assigned to that unit via the serial and model number of the unit you purchase. This is the only thing that validates a warranty from the manufacturer. Make sure your contractor is licensed in your state for HVAC installations.
Many of the current units available in mini split have a lot of electronics that are used to control the unit. These electronics are power sensitive and need a good clean power source for best longevity. If you have a lot of power spikes, brown outs etc. this can and will damage the electronics of the unit.
Because they are mostly foreign made, parts can (in some cases) be hard to get. Warranties on the electronics parts of the system are typically 1 to 3 years and the compressor anywhere from 5-7 years typically depending on manufacturer terms. Due to rapid change of this technology and warranty length there is no guaranty that you will be able to get specific parts for a specific system much past the above stated warranty periods. Parts are typically manufacturer specific in this category.
On a normal ducted air conditioner most warranties of contractor bought and professionally installed systems start at 5 year (all) parts for commercial apps and 10 year (all) parts for residential apps.
Last edited by Tech443; 05-31-2014 at 12:00 PM..
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I thought that was really high. I was pricing just the unit and I found them as cheap as $400 online. At Home Depot, they are around a $1000. It doesn't seem that hard to install. I'm wondering what the labor should be.
