Daikin Experience? HVAC Systems?
I will start a big renovation and I have problems deciding the type of HVAC I want. I am interested in the Passive House philosophy. Apparently, with a very well insulated house the HVAC and ductwork can be much smaller. Any brand recommendation? Any contractor recommendation? Any experience? Anybody has any experience with Daikin? I…
I will start a big renovation and I have problems deciding the type of HVAC I want. I am interested in the Passive House philosophy.
Apparently, with a very well insulated house the HVAC and ductwork can be much smaller.
Any brand recommendation? Any contractor recommendation? Any experience? Anybody has any experience with Daikin?
I just found this links about a Passive House being done in Brooklyn:
http://passivehousebklyn.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/hrv_heat-pump.jpg
http://passivehousebklyn.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/hvac.jpg
Hey Mary,
I’m in about the same situation you are, about to start a big renovation and trying to decide on the HVAC system. I took a look at the passive house you cited and it’s pretty darn cool.
Our place is a 3 family, so some of the considerations for us are about whether or not to separate the tenants heat/DHW and whether to do AC for just us, for everyone, or for no one. The Daikin system has the advantage of giving us everything: separate metered heat for the tenants and AC for everyone. We are going to insulate well and do all new windows, so I think we could get primary heat from the Daikin. My concern about it, though, is having forced air heat, as compared to hydronic heat through radiators. (I’ve never lived in a house or apartment with forced air heat.) I’m also not completely convinced, from everything I’ve read, that the Daikin will make the house warm enough on really cold days.
As of now, our tentative plan is to use a mod-con boiler to service the whole house (the Weil-McClein “Ultra”) and to put a Mitsubishi Mr. Slim system in for just the owner’s duplex for AC. I say tentative, though, because this is a less than optimal set-up (since it doesn’t allow us to separate the tenants’ heat, nor give them AC) and it’s expensive!
Sorry I don’t really have any answers for you. Really, I’m just piggy-backing on your question.