Anyone have any personal experience with ductless heat/ac?

I have an older home with a HVAC that's about on it's last legs and will need to be replaced soon, so I am looking at my options.

House briefs:
1330 sq ft
3 bedrooms:
1 master bedroom with a full bath
2 spare bedrooms(One as my office, one currently used as storage)

Kitchen/livingroom/dinning room are in an open floor plan
1 Full guest bathroom

I'm thinking one ductless unit would go in the master bedroom, one in the living room. Also thinking a overhead light/heater/vent in the guest bathroom would work. So that leaves the 2 spare bedrooms. I don't often use my office and I never use the "junk" room. But eventually I'd like to have heat/ac in those rooms.


Anyone recommend a local ductless HVAC dealer in the Raleigh area?

11/23/2011 9:33:10 AM

How would this be cheaper than installing a new, larger, more efficient central HVAC unit in place of the old one?

11/23/2011 11:37:52 AM

Retrofitting ductwork is expensive. I wouldn't attempt that unless it was a total renovation.

11/23/2011 11:52:12 AM

What's the total goal here?

And one option other than little ductless minisplit systems would be looking into a whole-house Variable Refrigerant Flow system. Several companies make them but LG and Mitsubishi are both pretty popular in that niche I know.

11/23/2011 12:01:00 PM

I dont have personal experience, but from watching a shit ton of international house hunters, the ductless systems are 'the' system to install in much of the world.

11/23/2011 12:45:43 PM

That's mainly because minisplit systems are just easy to install and don't require contractors which much knowledge. They are also easy retrofit installations in existing structures in other countries where central AC wasn't a standard installation (or possibly isn't utilized for much of the year) when the house was built (and thus there is no chase or space for duct). Also, if it is a beachy type place or a place with a moderate climate where windows are open a lot, it may be cheaper operating cost wise to just use some spot-cooling in the room you are in via a minisplit versus central AC.

On the downside, when you are utilizing multiple units in a home they can require more maintenance: more filters to replace, more parts to go bad, etc. In addition they are a little obtrusive and unattractive imo. They are also much less energy efficient. However, you really have to look at how much you would utilize each individual unit to compare costs associated with running a more efficient central unit to heat/cool areas of the house you aren't using versus utilizing a less efficient PTAC or minisplit just in the areas you are using.

I still think someone who is interested in this should consider a Variable Refrigerant Flow system which is kind of a hybrid of a normal central AC heat pump system and using ductless minisplits. For a residential VRF installation you generally would have one central compressor with locally installed evaporator units that can do both heating and cooling. You only have one central compressor to worry about but still get separately zoned heat control and limited if any ductwork since the local evaporator units are mainly air turnover units.

[Edited on November 23, 2011 at 1:21 PM. Reason : ]

11/23/2011 1:08:04 PM

I installed my own mini-split in my garage.

Was easy as hell. The hardest part was pouring the concrete pad outside.

11/23/2011 9:16:53 PM

For pete's sake, if you go with a VRF, do NOT use mitsubishi! Go with a Daikin unit.

11/25/2011 5:45:44 PM

Main goal is to research different types of HVAC so when it's time to purchase I've got a good idea what I want rather than to make a rush decision because I have to.

Based on my house layout and what rooms I use I'm pretty sure I can lower my electric bill by using a zoned heating/cooling approach. Even if the initial cost is slightly more to go with a ductless system or a VRF. Also ducts are pretty disgusting and can cause allergies by pulling in funk from the crawl space if they aren't sealed correctly. And frankly I'm tired of crawling under my house to seal duct work.



CalledToArms do you know or recommend anyone in the triangle area that does VRF? I want to read up on it some more to see if it might work for me.



This is one of the systems I was looking at:

http://www.thermospace.com/ductless_split/mini_ductless_split.php

11/27/2011 6:15:09 PM

^^^ Y U NO USE Pre-Fabricated Pad?

11/29/2011 5:57:33 PM

Quote :

"For pete's sake, if you go with a VRF, do NOT use mitsubishi! Go with a Daikin unit."

Would you say the same for this type as well?

http://www.mitsubishicomfort.com/en/consumer/product-solutions/product-showcase

7/13/2012 8:30:54 AM

VRF is much more expensive than a ductless split system. I represent LG ductless units but they also make the most efficient and lowest cost vrf. If you're interested in more information let me know and I can give you the best outlet for going ductless.

I honestly don't think there is much difference in the technology other than being a 3 pipe vs. 2 pipe system. That being said, my boss has a daiken vrf system in his house and it gives you great zone control.

[Edited on July 15, 2012 at 11:39 PM. Reason : .]

7/15/2012 11:37:37 PM

I guess my 2 biggest initial questions for both systems are:

1. What can I expect to pay for unit with installation.

2. Monthly/yearly maintenance costs.


I lied. I have a 3rd question. Will they remove the old system and duct work?

7/28/2012 4:21:46 PM

/thread

Broke down and went traditional. Got a trane with all new duct work.

9/12/2012 11:31:43 AM

cost comparisons?

9/12/2012 11:45:04 AM