Where mini-splits fit
A mini-split is a small heat pump. An outdoor unit connects through a 3-inch hole in the wall to one or more indoor heads mounted high on a wall or in the ceiling. Each head has its own thermostat, so each room runs at its own temperature.
- A converted garage, sunroom or bonus room over the garage
- An addition where extending the existing ducts would overload the system
- Older homes near downtown Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough with radiators or no ducts at all
- A backyard office or accessory dwelling unit
- A hot upstairs bedroom the main system never reaches
Cost and efficiency
One zone installed runs $3,500 to $7,000. A two- or three-zone system on one outdoor unit runs $8,000 to $15,000. Mini-splits skip the 20 to 30 percent the Department of Energy estimates a typical house loses through its ducts, and their inverter compressors speed up and slow down to match the load instead of cycling on and off.
What to ask the installer
Ask where the refrigerant lines will run on the outside of the house and whether they will be covered. Ask where the condensate from each head drains, because a head on an interior wall may need a small pump. Ask about the parts warranty and whether the installer is a certified dealer for the brand, since some brands shorten the warranty on units installed by uncertified technicians.
Questions
Can a mini-split heat in winter?
Yes. Current models heat well down to 5 degrees, and cold-climate models go lower. Chapel Hill winter nights rarely fall below the teens.
Do mini-splits need maintenance?
Wash the indoor filters every month or two, and have a tech clean the indoor coil and blower wheel every year or two. Heads that go uncleaned grow mold on the blower wheel.