Mini-Splits for heating/cooling whole house

I have read so many messages in this board about mini splits and having significant doubt about whether I am making a bad choice by only heating/cooling this way. My home is attached on both sides and a total gut so will be investing in good insulation and the windows are good quality. The house is also very narrow – only about 15’-16’ wide.

I plan on electric radiant heat in the basement and two split units for the living space and bedroom.

Main floor would be concealed units with the air handler easily accessible in a closet.

Second floor is two kids bedrooms each with their own mini split (not concealed).

And then top floor is a bedroom and study and these would be concealed.

Bathroom are all electric radiant floor heat as well.

Initially I had assumed I would have Solar to offset but my home is too narrow and Brooklyn Solar does not think the number of panels I can fit up there are worth it.

My architect thinks this is all fine and standard. But I fear either being too cold or too hot and spending a fortune. Should I rethink this? Or is there a consultant type person that I could pay to weigh in?

InBklyn76

in General Discussion 1 year and 9 months ago

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atkinsp | 1 year and 9 months ago

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I agree about the ‘dehumidifier’ mode. I have Mitsubishi units and dehumidifier mode works really well and saves on electricity.

atkinsp | 1 year and 9 months ago

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I agree about the ‘dehumidifier’ mode. I have Mitsubishi units and dehumidifier mode works really well and saves on electricity.

jrs84o | 1 year and 9 months ago

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If you are NOT providing an air tight insulation barrier on each floor (that’s almost impossible in a brownstone gut reno)… and you do go with heat pumps…. Make sure you oversize the units.

You will need 50k+btu of heat per floor… no matter what the installer tells you.

Buy the largest outside units you can afford, and add air handlers as needed.

Don’t worry about sizing for cooling… EXCEPT for the fact that your air handlers should have a “dehumidify” mode… NOT ALL “hidden” units (ducted) provide this function.

I’ve had Mitsu hyper-heats for ten years, and am thinking about putting in a forced air system to service my parlor level… while keeping the heat pumps only for the top floor.

lkrshacmzcy | 1 year and 9 months ago

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The honest answer is that everything about heat is preference; Forced Air has a much different “feel” than Steam or Hydronic Heat.
If you have the system sized appropriately and you use a Hyper Heat style system; you do not need backup. I say this a Plumber whose primary work is Gas Heating Systems. HVAC gets a bad rep here mostly because there is no license so units are never installed properly.

lkrshacmzcy | 1 year and 9 months ago

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The honest answer is that everything about heat is preference; Forced Air has a much different “feel” than Steam or Hydronic Heat.
If you have the system sized appropriately and you use a Hyper Heat style system; you do not need backup. I say this a Plumber whose primary work is Gas Heating Systems. HVAC gets a bad rep here mostly because there is no license so units are never installed properly.

xuytbjicwnofjdde | 1 year and 9 months ago

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@InBkln76 – I feel exactly the same way. We are not at the point of having to make the decision yet, but I thought mini-split would be a no-brainer, until I started reading these posts. The reality is that you will not get a consensus here – you have take the leap or not. I come out on the mini-split only side for a few personal reasons, some of which may resonate with you – 1) I’m all about maximizing useable floor space, so that means the prospect of getting rid of a boiler and radiators is appealing and 2) extreme cold is (sadly) going to be less and less an issue due to climate change.

justinromeu26 | 1 year and 9 months ago

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Read what someone wrote about two weeks ago. I think it was augustiner. Read what that person says. After reading that, it will be a long time before i do this-