Wondering if an 18,000 BTU Minisplit Heat pump system is right for you? What are the benefits? What are the down sides? Are the systems really as efficient as central heating? Aren't the equiptment and installation costs more than for traditional units?
There are a lot of rumors and indeed some misinformation floating around about minisplit systems. While such systems have been popular in many countries overseas where population density is high and environmental concerns have been drawing attention for decades, the spread to the United States have been somewhat slower. This is due in part to lax governmental regulations on unit efficiency, and due in part to the reluctance of a populace to embrace newer technology. In the United States for example, the minimum SEER rating for newly installed systems sit at a mere 13. The lowest tier, lowest SEER minisplit systems are typically in the 16-18 range, with most averages being in the 19-23 range. Some even have SEER ratings as high as the 30's, and the top tier systems even have some in a remarkable 39-41 SEER range! While the SEER rating may be new to most of us, it's a measure of the electrical usage of the entire system over an entire season, and each level higher bring expotentially better performance at a lower cost to run.
That being said, let's address the first question: What are the benefits? Cost is a huge bonus. Not only is there tremendous savings on equipment and installation costs, the amount spent running the unit is far lower as well. Most customers report savings of 30%, and a good portion report 50% or more! 30% to 50% are just typical numbers. Another benefit of these multizone systems is the ability to completely shut down heating and cooling in an area when it's not being used. If you have a home office where it's only being used part of the day, there's no reason to waste energy keeping it comfortable if it isn't going to be used for 16 hours a day! This particular benefit is referred to as zone conditioning, and the 18,000 BTU dual zone system is the smallest capacity these multizone systems come in. It's perfect for a couple small rooms as you can use (2) 9,000 BTU indoor air handlers or (1) 9,000 BTU and (1) 12,000 BTU indoor units if one of the rooms is a little bigger. the 18,000 BTU single zone system comes with a variety of indoor air handlers and is perfect for home additions, garage workshops, he/she sheds, and/or sunrooms. You can choose from wall mount, concealed ducted, ceiling cassettes, and in the 12,000 BTU range also a floor/ceiling model.
What are the down sides with these systems? One potential issue with the minisplit systems is the fact that the entire system must be in cooling or heating mode. That is to say, you can not have heating in one room and cooling in another room when they are on the same system. This isn't normally a huge issue since if it's warm, you'll want cooling all around, or if it's cold you'll want heating all around. Unfortunately, for us married guys, you know the fight with the wife over the thermostat is an enternal battle! Another potential issue is cleaning the filters and drain lines. With central systems, there is only one (1) filter that gets changed every 30 days or so, and one (1) drain line that should be cleaned periodically. With the minisplit systems, each indoor unit has it's own filters and it's own drain line. Fortunately, the manufacturers have learned well and make the filters reusable and easy to access. Pull them out once a month, rinse off in the sink and let them dry and you are good to go! Same for the drain lines. Most issues occur outside, so they are easy to access and clean should there be issues. Anyone who has the system maintained yearly should never have to worry about those issues.
Are the systems really as efficient as central heating? The short answer is NO. They are much more efficient than central heating and air conditioning. From zone heating and cooling, follow me function, sleep mode, to weekly scheduling, all our minisplit systems are designed to be as environmentally and wallet friendly as possible!
Aren't the equiptment and installation costs more than for traditional units? Not at all! Considering just the fact there is no duct work to run that looses those precious energy dollars and manages to collect and spread dust and debris through out the entire house you'll be saving thousands, if not tens of thosands, on that alone. Even on a modest three bedroom home, the cost of installing a new central system can easily run $15,000 to $25,000 and more. With the exception of our largest systems, most complete setups will run under $5000 leaving you plenty of cash for the install and a nice chuck to put in your own wallet! We also have a price match program so if you see any of these systems for a lower cost online, we will meet or beat that price!
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