Heater

[Terrel L. Shields]

Mini-splits are best used as a supplemental source of heating and cooling in an addition or outbuilding, unless it is installed in every room of the home

Size matters. I have seen several of these in small cabin/houses under 1200 SF. One was about 900 Sf and a large unit basically cooled the entire house, which was an open design and the unit at the end of a hall next to a bedroom and bathroom. They actually heated with a pellet stove with baseboard electric as a backup when they were away. They do come in various sizes and some are heat pumps, some conventional. The utility of an electric heat pump fails me for the most part, but it is what it is.

 

[glenn walker]

Your in CALI and have you ever seen anyone freeze to death ? No so check the box and move on

 

[Fernando]

As an appraiser in the rural midwestern states I see these very often in home additions, conversions, and outbuildings.

As an owner/user of a Fujitsu Halycyon mini-split heating and cooling system I can say they work when used properly. My electricity bill using the mini-split system is much less compared to the ceiling cable heat and window units that were installed when I bought the home. Also, it provides much better cooling than window units. The heating from ceiling cable "feels " better and functions properly at temperatures below 20 fahrenheit. The heating performance from the mini-split during below 20 fahrenheit is not sufficient.

When I purchased my home it had ceiling cable heat and did not have central air conditioning. Only window units and a window unit installed in the wall of the living room. A few years later I was annoyed by the inconsistent cooling and noise of the window air conditioning units.

I got 3 estimates for a central forced warm air heating and cooling system and 3 estimates for mini-split heating and cooling. The 3 FWA estimates were $12,000 or more. The 3 mini-split estimates were $6,000 to $12,000.

I had a 24 seer mini-split unit installed with 3 interior ductless units. The advantage is there is no need to install ductwork, it is fairly quite, easy to maintain, and each interior unit is controlled individually by remote. The disadvantage is unless there are interior units in every room the doors need to remain open to provide heating and cooling.

From my experience used as main heating and cooling for the home, mini-split is better than no central heating and cooling, but inferior to central heating and cooling.

Mini-splits are best used as a supplemental source of heating and cooling in an addition or outbuilding, unless it is installed in every room of the home

This is the 2nd or 3rd time I'd seen these units this year in the house and I finally decided to find out more about it.
As prior posts I mentioned that baseboard heaters using electricity is more costly (natural gas cheaper here) to run so I look down at them.
Maybe these modern units are more energy efficient.

 

[Stantheman]

I just checked the recent permits and 2 units cost total $10,000. Does it cost that much? Did the old lady get ripped off?

They are that much! They also control humidity, heat, and cool. Bad thing that I can see is they're limited to the room, and many people use them to heat the whole floor. Every "room" must have a source of heat.

 

[Fernando]

They are that much! They also control humidity, heat, and cool. Bad thing that I can see is they're limited to the room, and many people use them to heat the whole floor. Every "room" must have a source of heat.

Wouldn't it be cheaper to use and put a typical wall heater?

 

[Stantheman]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to use and put a typical wall heater?

My friend has a beach property, it was so humid inside the laminate floor was delaminating. They put one of these in and he could control the unit including % humidity by his phone. They are expensive, but serve a purpose, especially for those that don't have the ducting, plus you get AC too.

 

[Fernando]

One unit I saw outside had wet damp soil around the unit. Do these exterior unit parts condense water or you think it's not working properly?

 

[ZZGAMAZZ]

Would this type of device in a "workmanlike," attached addition qualify the type of heating source required by FHA to be considered as GLA, although not be integral to the original construction?

 

[glenn walker]

I am confused what do you mean by GLA ? Its a heater and yes I dont think FHA would have a problem hell they allow wood burning stoves : ) LMAO

 

[Stantheman]

Would this type of device in a "workmanlike," attached addition qualify the type of heating source required by FHA to be considered as GLA, although not be integral to the original construction?

You need a source of heat in every room. If it was a studio type living area it might be ok. But the bathroom with a shut door would need its own source of heat.