Ductless Mini Split Installation and Repair in Oakland County

Where a ductless system makes the most sense

Ductless is at its strongest where running ducts would be hard, costly or wasteful. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that duct losses can account for more than 30 percent of the energy used for heating and cooling, especially when ducts run through an unconditioned space such as an attic. A mini split has no ducts to lose anything from.

It is not always the answer. If your home already has sound ducts and the whole house needs cooling, central air conditioning is usually the more sensible route, and it stays out of sight. If one room is uncomfortable because of a crushed or leaking duct, a ductwork repair is the fix, not new equipment.

• An addition or sunroom the furnace was never sized for
• A bonus room over the garage that never matches the house
• A garage or workshop used in every season
• An older home with a boiler and no ductwork
• One bedroom that runs hot every summer

Do mini splits work in a Michigan winter?

Yes, if you choose the right one. Standard heat pumps lose efficiency once it drops below about 35 degrees and often need backup heat. Cold-climate models are built for more. To earn ENERGY STAR's cold-climate designation, a heat pump has to keep at least 70 percent of its rated heating capacity at 5 degrees Fahrenheit. In Oakland County, where the average January low is around 17 degrees, that is the kind of ductless heat pump to ask for.

Sizing matters as much as the model. Each indoor unit should be matched to the room's actual heating and cooling load, not to square footage alone, because an oversized unit runs in short bursts and controls humidity poorly. Many homeowners keep their furnace or boiler as backup for the coldest nights and let the ductless system carry the rest of the season. If you are thinking about the whole house, read about heat pumps too.

Single-zone or multi-zone, and where everything goes

A single-zone system pairs one outdoor unit with one head. A multi-zone system runs several heads from one outdoor unit. Multi-zone saves space outside, but every head needs its own line set back to that unit, so the layout of the house decides a lot. For rooms at opposite ends of a house, two single-zone systems are sometimes the cleaner job.

Wall-mounted heads are the most common. They go high on a wall where the air can sweep the room without blowing straight at a bed or a couch. Ceiling cassettes, floor-mounted units and slim ducted units hidden above a ceiling are options where a wall unit will not suit. The line set leaves through the wall behind the head and runs down the outside of the house, normally inside a cover. The outdoor unit sits on a stand or wall brackets, raised above the snow and clear of drifts and roof runoff.

Keeping a mini split clean

A ductless unit asks for more regular attention than a furnace, and most of it is easy. Slide out the washable filters, rinse them, let them dry and put them back. Check them often when the unit runs daily. Outside, keep snow, leaves and stored items away from the unit. What you cannot reach is the coil and the blower wheel behind the filters, where dust and moisture collect over time. Cleaning those properly means taking the unit partly apart, and that is a job for us.