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Chad Merry

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Anyone have experience with the mini-split ductless A/C systems?



I need to cool the up stairs of my house a little better. We have duct work going up stairs but it does not push enough air to cool of the bedrooms. So I am looking at installing a ductless split AC system.



I have found many on Ebay for a good prices but just wanted to see if any members have used them. I found 1 on ebay that is an 18,000BTU for 700.00.



Thanks,

Chad
 
I have installed a couple of them. They are nice units, I just cant speak on a manufacturer because we used only the commercial ones...



Todd Z
 
I am having the same problem, and our installer said we need to set the temp and leave it, even when the days are colder than the inside. So we deal with the upper floor being slightly warmer than the lower. If we got the upper at the right temp, we could make ice in the living room downstairs. How does this ductless system your talking about work, and can it be installed on an existing unit?:unsure:
 
The condition being desribed is the very reason I had our two story house built with a three zone HVAC system. Seperate thermostats and independent duct systems on all three levels tied into one furnace/AC system. Temp is same on all three levels regardless of outside temp. Anyone planning new construction should spend the extra money for a zoned HVAC system.
 
Chad and inspectrjerry, before getting drastic consider the following other options for your warm upstairs issue (consider all that might apply to you):



1. Keep the bedroom doors shut most of the time.



2. Turn off most vents and registers in the downstairs, thus forcing more of the cooled air to go upstairs where it will fall anyway.



3. Maybe you need additional insulation in your attic floor to reduce the radiant heat going into the bedrooms.



4. Additionally, maybe a ridge vent and/or gable vent could be installed in your attic. If you install or have a gable vent consider adding a thermostically controlled exhaust fan (turn on at 120 deg F, off at 100 deg, depending on your climate) to keep the attic cooler. A gable vent and exhaust fan can in installed DIY for less than $100.



5. Install ceiling fans in all bedrooms.



We had the same problems and I did 1, 2, and 5 and it makes a big difference. The ceiling fans alone helped considerably.



More costly and potentially drastic options will include additional air conditioning, another zone, etc.



TJR
 
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I have not used these, but a friend of mine did and it made a HUGE difference for him. I helped him install two of them for his upstairs.



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Many company's sell them...
 
And here is another option, although it may be an eye sore, I would think it would do the same job...



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Our house is actually a 1.5 story. The upstairs was just an attic but it was finished. So the roof is the ceiling. It is insulated and drywalled, but the heat of the roof just heats it up badly. The upstairs is approx 43'x11' with a bedroom on each end and a half bath in the middle. This is basically my 4 year old sons area of the house. I put a window unit in 1 room, which was his old baby room and it was fine, but have since remolded the other room for his new bedroom. And his new room is at the other end, so when the temp gets up to 90 the little 5k btu unit cannot keep up, and his new room has a goofy window that would require brick work to change, and it is the front of our house. And do not want a window on the front of our house. So I figured that maybe the ductless system with 18k BTU would be able to work, and push enough air across the entire floor.



The ceiling is to low for ceiling fans, and I have already installed the a gable vent that runs the entire length of the roof.



Chad



 
TJR,

Didn't think of the gable or ridge vent. And as for closing the vents, we tried that too, didn't really work all that well. And when we closed the kids rooms when they were away at school or outside, talk about cold when they got back in! I will see about the vents, and living in Washington state, I think 120 is too high, but will let the pro's look at that.



Thanks for the advice!
 
TJR, great solutions.

You might also consider running your fan 24/7.

Closing or reducing the "lower" vents during A/C season really makes sense, but reverse and close or reduce the top floor in the heating season.

2 story homes in the south that I'm aware of have 2 Heat Pumps, one for each floor. It really makes sense all around, ,if one thinks about it.

 
Yup, Ken...



That is exactly what we do...close down all the vents in the basement (we have a finished basement) and most of those on the 1st floor during the summer and then just the reverse in the winter as we close those upstairs in many room (especially our master bedroom were we like it cool for sleeping) and open those downstairs and in the basement.



Some change the direction of their ceiling fans per the season, but we don't. We always have our set to move the upper air down...which I know sounds like the wrong thing in the summer as it brings warm air down, but it actually feels cooler since we have had them running both ways. Besides, if the warm air comes down it has to be replaced with something (cool air going back up...right?).



TJR
 
I actually installed a large wall unit ( I think it was $600 for the 220 wall unit) and Then I installed 2 thermostat controlled fans , one on each gable vent.



Todd Z
 

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