A/C - Split Systems
I’m interested in hearing people’s experiences with installing split-system a/c during extensive renovation (open walls, new wiring, etc.). Costs, of course, but I’m also weighing that against interior appearance (i.e., concealed air handlers with grills of some kind versus Mitsubishi-type wall-mounted units). Orrsuz: if you see this, I would like the pictures of your setup…
I’m interested in hearing people’s experiences with installing split-system a/c during extensive renovation (open walls, new wiring, etc.). Costs, of course, but I’m also weighing that against interior appearance (i.e., concealed air handlers with grills of some kind versus Mitsubishi-type wall-mounted units).
Orrsuz: if you see this, I would like the pictures of your setup as well. Please send to housereno at earthlink.net
Other input also welcome. Denton, what type system did you install?
I stumbled across this forum while doing research on split-system air conditioners. I’d like to thank those who have contributed to this thread; the information provided has been indispensable.
My question is whether anyone here can recommend their installer, or rather, the mechanical contractor they used. Ideally, it would be nice for my specific circumstances if the contractor is located in Brooklyn, but not required. I am particularly interested in the mechanical contractor used by the poster who is an architect.
TIA
Cost of putting sleeves into old brick flues would be prohibitive, as they typically weave around fireboxes on floors. Un-sleeved, you wouldn’t want to blow debris around.
Biggest pitfall – in the event of flue collapse, more comomon than you think, you now have nada. You’d have expensive installed equipment in the wrong physical location, and no way to make it work.
Question for the crowd – My house has 7 flues, only one of which is actually used, to vent the boiler and water heater. Has anyone looked at putting a compressor/handler unit on the roof and running ducts through the unused flues? Any code restrictions, valid or otherwise that would prevent this from being contemplated?
Daveinbedstuy,
My company has done the rooftop ducted system install most recently at a Fort Greene residence. It is a 4 floor brownstone (including the garden level), 25′ wide. Basement is unconditioned space. We installed the rooftop dunnage, ductwork and all condensers and air handlers. Each project is different, so quoting prices are useless….
-Steam Man
I have 2 compressors – one on the roof for the top floor & one in the garden for the parlor & bottom floors. I planned as I did various reno projects & ran ducts (& conduit for the roof unit) in chase walls until I could afford the a/c project. The roof system is just as dibs outlined – an octopus of ducts going into 5 rooms – it works really well & since cold air falls, I can run just the top floor unless the weather is incredibly hot & humid for a long stretch. What I paid isn’t relevant since it was done 18 years ago.
We installed Mitsubishi Slims with All Hvac a couple of years ago. Very happy. Our small townhouse has six zones. Now each zone is habitable no matter how hazy, hot, humid. In winter we also use them as heat pumps in a couple of zones to supplement the hot water heating system. Efficient, whisper quiet both inside and out. The system was not cheap. Two condensers mounted to the brick party wall on the roof, one condenser mounted six inches from rear wall (landmarks compliant), and six interior handlers mounted high on walls. Installation was more invasive than we had anticpated, demolition, installation, electrical, and plumbing—you need to connect condensation pipes from the internal air handlers to the plumbing system–repair, replaster, repaint walls. The wall mounted air handlers are not ugly, in fact their marriage of form and function seem happily ever after when family, friends and guests are comfortable.
Has anyone done a rooftop ducted system??? The floorplan of my house is such that the ducts can be relatively non-obtrusive…the initial feed can come into the large master bath and split off to feed both bedrooms from there….then it can travel down the second BR closet and feed both parlour rooms effectively with just registers appearing as ther is a closet in the back parlour room directly below the second BR closet.
Has anyone installed a new rooftop ducted system and if so what was the cost???
I’m assuming it needs writng, condensor, blower and then all the duct work, all up on the roof on steel that spoans the paripets.
I think people who take the view that split-systems mean cheap are just plain wrong and silly.
Wife and I went thru extensive renovations and went back and forth a ton with our architect over a split system versus ducted system. I am a huge fan of split systems having done extensive travel in asia and noting that they are heavily used there and quite efficient.
We ended up with a Daiken split system similar to the city-multi with Mitsubishi and essentially have separate handlers in each room.
The whole system is extremely efficient, and frankly the big draw for me is separate zoning for each and every room, with additional efficiency by not having to turn on every single darn unit if I am only in one room in the house.
As for hiding the handlers, I would have preferred had I been able to and Daiken has units that go into the walls and ceilings, but the problem in my case was that I wanted to preserve as much space in closets and corners as possible, which is the other reason I didn’t want the ducted system – just appeared to always take away from closet and other space in our home since we’d need multiple ducts running down essentially from our roof. Split systems allowed the piping to simply and elegantly snake thru our existing walls w/o infringing more into usable space.
Maybe I will live to regret this in a few years, and admittedly I don’t always love having the handlers on the walls, but you get used to it quickly and never notice.
As for re-sale value, oh well. I care far less about that at the moment given I never intend to move again after this renovoation (or renovate again for that matter).
🙂
I am not an HVC contractor, but I do have a client who is one, so I see a lot of the issues etc.
I have installed, and currently own properties with both Unico high velocity and Sanyo ( and others) mini splits.
Unico can be throttled somewhat, but basically think one zone. I am very pleased with the efficiency, and basically everything about our new Unico high Seer, heat pump optioned Unico. We replaced a 20 year old Unico unit, the spagetti etc was still fine in the walls.
I install Sanyos mostly, and they are remarkably versatile. If you have a path down to the basement for a condensate tube, the inside unit can be placed virtually anywhere. Forget exterior walls, I’m talking interior walls away from the exterior. In a floor thru apt, normally I will hang an 18K indoor in the middle of the house, and a 12K somewhere in the rear bedroom. Parlor I spec 31K condenser, for another floor without high ceilings 25K is fine. Don’t think that condenser must equal sum of inside air handlers.
Multi splits take up to 4 zones, but you must have at least two.
bruce at jerseydata.net