At the outset, when youre asking lots of questions, be on the lookout for pushback, a dismissive attitude, or impatienceyou should have questions, even some very basic ones, and its a good sign if a pro can answer them respectfully. Beyond that, De Stasio told us, There is so much that can go wrong if its not professionally installed. In Mitsubishi Electrics brochure (PDF), youll find fairly limited aesthetic options for wall units, although matte silver and black wall unit finishes are available, and you can also consider ceiling mounts, floor mounts, or other special configurations. He spent 10 years in high-end construction as a carpenter, foreman, and supervisor. So if your home already relies on a heat pump, and youre happy with it, the simplest thing to do when it wears out (generally after 10 to 15 years of service) is to replace it with a similar model, which will probably be more efficient. Bosch heat pumps run the gamut from style, size, and capabilities. Thats what central systems do, says Mike Smith, senior marketing manager of Mitsubishi Electric, one of the prominent mini-split brands sold in North America. Their mini-splits come with all the components necessary for total installation, from electrical materials to refrigerant lines and everything in between. Mini-splits have a broad cost differential, ranging from $750 to $1,500 to between $4,000 and $6,000 for a single unit. The gold standard is a variable-speed compressor. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Whether you need a new install, service, or basic repair We Can Help! In addition to their brand, Daikin owns various other air conditioning companies, the two most notable of which are Amana and Goodman. ReliabilityAccording to our member survey, reliability is by far the top predictor of an owners overall satisfaction with a heat pump. He also raises sheep and has a dairy cow that he milks every morning. Smith explained, When youre trying to blow cool air into a hot room, the cool air will fall, so a window unit has a tougher time driving that cool air across the room because of the position of the window. A mini-split is typically mounted high on a wall or even in a ceiling, giving it a much better throw of that cool air, with the ability to disperse it in a sweeping motion from side to side, up and down, or even directed towards a wall, if you want some circulation without a direct blast of air. Bosch: Bosch: MRCOOL: Name: Multi 24000 BTU 2-Ton 21.3 SEER Dual (2) Zone Wall Mount Air Conditioner Heat Pump, 230-Volt 16 ft. Max Performance Pro Pack 24,000 BTU 2-Ton Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner and Heat Pump No Line Set 230V: DIY 36,000 BTU 3-Ton 2-Zone Ductless Mini-Split Air Conditioner Heat Pump, 25 ft. + 75 ft. Reset your password. Like all the other brands on this list, Pioneer makes single-zone and multi-zone systems. How Good is Hisense Air Conditioner - Expert Review & Comparison, Daikin 24,000 BTU 17 SEER Wall-Mounted Ductless Mini-Split A/C Heat Pump System, Daikin Mini Split Error Codes (Troubleshooting Guide), MRCOOL DIY 22 SEER Ductless Heat Pump Split System, PIONEER Air Conditioner WYS009AMFI22RL Wall Mount Ductless Inverter+ Mini Split Heat Pump, 9000 BTU-110/120V, Gree MULTI30CVIR400-30,000 BTU Multi21+ Quad-Zone Wall Mount Mini Split Air Conditioner Heat Pump 208-230V (9-9-9-9), LG LG2ZMSS18 Dual Zone Mini Split System with 18,000 Total BTUs, Best Whole House Humidifier: Portable & Furnace Picks (2023), Wire Size and Breaker for Heat Pumps & AC units (Tonnage Chart). A contractor can help you figure out whether this makes sense in your home. Heat pumps are still a niche product in colder parts of the country (though that is changing quickly), so green-energy resource groups might be able to help you find a contractor who is familiar with the technology and knows how to install a good system. 10 Best Ductless Mini Split Brands & Buying Guide (2023) 12. Many homes with existing ductwork for forced-air HVAC systems can be adapted to heat pumps. Your typical homeowner does not have the tools to do it or the instrumentation to take the measurements to know that its been done right. Getting the right size unit is not as simple as calculating the area of a room, for example. Slightly more affordable than Mitsubishi and Fujitsu, Select models do excellent in cold weather, More aesthetically-pleasing designs than many competitors. He lives in a very demanding 250-year-old farmhouse and spent four years gutting and rebuilding his previous home. Our experience with customer support was good but not great. Theyre renowned for their energy efficiency, cheap operation, and easy installation. Most models include a wireless remote and/or a wireless wall-mounted controller, and many can be controlled via smart phone or be integrated into a larger system like Nest or Alexa. Youll also want to make sure theres enough space for you or a technician to access and service the unit. Ductless mini-split systems are sweeping the nation and are quickly becoming one of the top options for heating and cooling a home. Panasonic shares the advantage of being a stable, global brand, but it has disadvantages relative to its other mainstream North American competitors. $7,140 at Wayfair. They offer single-zone and multi-zone systems that can handle up to eight indoor units on a single outdoor unit. Install Kits . Its wise to get price quotes from at least three contractors. Protect Yourself From Indoor Air Pollution, reliability and owner satisfaction ratings, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Like the Vireo systems listed above, the smaller units are better used in bedrooms up to 450 square feet while the larger unit can easily cool and heat up to 650 square feet. If yours is an older home, its always a good idea to upgrade your insulation and seal any air leaks, regardless of how you heat it. As counterintuitive as it seems, theres always some free heat energy in the air, even on frigid winter days. We like that you can also control the AC unit directly from the puck, which you cant do with the Ambi. The Gree 30000 BTU mini split system is designed to cool medium-sized rooms with two air handlers at 9000 BTU and the third at 12000 BTU. Ask for a printout of all calculations and assumptions, including ductwork design. Cool, that offer models that are marketed for DIY installation. Ground-source or geothermal heat pumps absorb and release heat underground, where the temperature is a constant 50F to 60F all year. You live somewhere with heat pump subsidies. All in all, LG is one of the top mini-split brands globally, and they even produce two models designed specifically for cold weather, the Multi F and the Multi F Max. There are many different mini-split brands to choose from. Last, a mini-split doesnt occupy a rooms electrical outlet or affect the function of your windows. These strips use a ton of energy, but theyre very inexpensive to install and maintain, and its a cost-effective way to get through short cold snaps. The tasks themselves are things that a homeowner can do, but a professional is going to know how to do them safely and how to do them thoroughly.. You probably dont have a ton of choice on which exact pieces of equipment you needthats determined mostly by your homes size, climate, and the heating and cooling needs youre addressing. Your house is poorly insulated, or leaky. But the technology has improved, making air-source heat pumps a practical choice almost anywhere in the countryeven in places with cold winters. A search of various models showed installation cost differences ranging from 2 percent to more than 35 percent. A mini-split is an efficient, scalable way to add cooling or heating to specific rooms of a home. Youll use the heat pump most of the time (including the summer, when it provides all your cooling) and the backup system only on the coldest days when the heat pump cant keep up. It is technically possible to install a mini-split yourselfhow-to videos on This Old House look straightforward enough, and theres a forum full of Reddit homeowners who say theyve done itbut self-installation is probably not worth the risk. The funny thing is the difference in cost between the #1 MrCOOL 22 SEER and #7 Klimaire KSIV 19 SEER is actually about $400. However, theyve quickly made a name for themselves as one of the best mid-level mini-split companies in the country. Their efficiency and SEER ratings are good but not great. The app can potentially benefit some folks by also controlling other LG smart appliances at home, which would be convenientand, to LGs credit, after watching a lot of appliance makers apps have their ups and downs over the years, SmartThinQs roughly 3.5-star average across about 3,000 reviews is definitely above average for the category. However, mini-split systems can house up to four (sometimes more) wall cassettes, each with its own BTU rating or tonnage. The ceiling units are more discreet, but they require a much more invasive installation. We evaluated the options by looking broadly at the characteristics common to the brands as a wholecomparing things like warranty, aesthetic options, smart features, and other factors that would make a meaningful impact if we were shopping for ourselves. Those two components of that system are separated by a very thin wall, and that thin wall is not doing a great job of keeping heat energy out. With a mini-split, he said, the two components are now separated by your insulated wall.. More than half of all homes in the U.S. already use ducts to distribute heating and cooling. How many square feet will a mini-split cool? Again, the higher the number, the more energy-efficient the unit. You can also handle some maintenance on your own. Many people think of Fujitsu as Mitsubishis top competitor in the realm of mini-splits. You also have to commit to a location with the indoor units, and theres no moving them around, like with window air conditioners or portable ACs. The only criteria the Bosch 1.0 falls short of the Lennox XP25 & Trane XV20i is; efficiency. But a ceiling installation will likely be more expensive and invasive. Is this person reliable and responsive, or do you have apprehension about having them in and out of your house in the short term and in the future? Heat pumps with higher SEER ratings also tend to have higher HSPF ratings, though theres no direct relationship between the two. The most efficient models have a SEER of 33.1 or an HSPF of 14. We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Ideally, the pipes go through the wall directly behind the unit, where theyre hidden. The controller units are not wall mounted but unobtrusive within most modern decor. Multi-zone systems will cost double or triple this amount. Heat pumps heat more gently than other systemsits a constant trickle of warm air, rather than blasts of heat every few hours. Whether its finding great products or discovering helpful advice, well help you get it right (the first time). Contractors who bid on your installation should show you verification of bonding and insurance, plus any required contractors licenses. Bosch doesnt have as wide a range of products as many of its competitors. Many are sold direct to consumers through Amazon, Sylvane, AJMadison, and other retailers, while others are sold exclusively through installers with distributor agreements with the manufacturer. Cool produces one of the only DIY mini-split units globally that anyone and everyone can easily install. All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story. They are highly efficient because they dont have to compensate for big temperature swings the way air-source heat pumps do. Additionally, Fujitsu has a partnership with Rheem, one of the top brands in the HVAC industry. The minimum HSPF is 8.2. Youll be in touch throughout the installation, and in the future for service calls, warranty claims, or other troubleshooting. Don't get us wrong, they're both top tier brands with excellent support . To play it safe, an installer might suggest going with a bigger outdoor unit, which has the flexibility to serve multiple indoor units. Their MLA Cold Climate model maintains 100% efficiency to zero degrees and can produce heat up to -22 degrees. This job requires engineering and design skills on top of technical know-how; your goal is to ensure you can get all of that. There are other manufacturers out there, but we cant really imagine bypassing these four options for a niche brand with weaker availability, selection, and customer support. A heat pump heats and cools your home, functioning like a combined furnace and central air conditioner. They also have the widest variety of products from any American company that manufactures mini-splits. One mini-split owner we spoke to said that he wished he had understood this better. Most of their models cease working when the temperatures drop below zero. Weigh the options: If youre deciding between some optionssay, a 2-zone version of your system versus a 4-zone, ask for written estimates for both configurations. 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