I’m not sure if this site will help you or not, they have some fantastic deals! Mini Split Warehouse | Mini Split Heat Pump's | Mini Split Air Conditioners I have 5 mini’s in my new addition and love them! Definitely the way to go.
YES, (to your original post) We just had a 2 head ductless mini split installed 3 weeks ago. For cooling primarily, but also for the "shoulder" season(s) before we surrender to the cold and fire up the wood boiler & radiant heat for the duration of the winter. Yesterday the AC was on, cold front overnight and this evening we put the heat on . It is very comfortable and actually makes hot air during heating. It's all to new for elec. bill comparisons but they are supposed to actually produce more heat energy than they consume electrical energy, but when it's hot & humid out, I don't care what it costs for AC, I hate the heat. So far we are very pleased, and here in ME, the state has a $750 rebate that helps out with the cost.
You had that long? Any thoughts on cost of running it? I am looking at a way to remove the FHW from the bedrooms, but still have heat if needed (if the pellet stove isn't running - like I go out of town for a few days).
5 mini in your addition how big is the ours range from about 7kbtu to 25kbtu as I'm looking at systems and welcome to the club
You really want to take a look at the heat pump information on this site : Heat Pump Systems for Maine Homes - High Efficiency Heating in Cold Climates My brother has one and swears by it. Our electricity is high, but even then, it is cheaper for all fuels except wood. Yes, even in Maine they work well. An acquaintance has them in all his apartments. (no other heat) and has no issues with heat during the extreme cold Maine winters. some may tell you how they drop off in efficiency in below zero temps, but I will tell you that that hasn't been the experience of that landlord or my brother.
Like anything else, heat pump technology has come a long way. Some units will heat efficiently to -0 degrees. In the northern climate, the HSPF (heating season)rating is more important than the SEER rating. SEER ratings go as high as 24-27 for very efficient cooling . HSPF ratings go to 14 for heating. HSPF and SEER The HSPF is calculated by taking the total heating required during the heating season, in British thermal units (BTUs), and dividing it by the total electricity consumed during the same time period. Similarly, SEER is the total amount of cooling by an air conditioner during the cooling season, divided by the total electricity consumed during that same time span. In the United States, the lowest allowable SEER for a split-system air-source heat pump is 13. For a system to be granted the coveted Energy Star level, the SEER has to exceed 14.5. For ideal cooling efficiency at an affordable price, look for SEER ratings of 16-18. The minimum HSPF on the market for a split-system air-source heat pump is 7.7, with Energy Star models exceeding HSPF 8.2. The HSPF is calculated by taking the total heating required during the heating season, in British thermal units (BTUs), and dividing it by the total electricity consumed during the same time period. Similarly, SEER is the total amount of cooling by an air conditioner during the cooling season, divided by the total electricity consumed during that same time span. In the United States, the lowest allowable SEER for a split-system air-source heat pump is 13. For a system to be granted the coveted Energy Star level, the SEER has to exceed 14.5. For ideal cooling efficiency at an affordable price, look for SEER ratings of 16-18. The minimum HSPF on the market for a split-system air-source heat pump is 7.7, with Energy Star models exceeding HSPF 8.2.
Going from a SEER of 10 to a SEER of 16 will save you 60% in electric. The ratings are very important! Way more important than the contractor or supply house will tell you.
We are looking at building. We were at a modular dealer the other day, kicking tires and asked about heat pumps. The builder said you can't do it it Maine as a primary heat source beause the bank won't approve the loan, not sure if he is FOS or not, maybe just trying to steer us away from them for some reason?
DaveGunter do not know Maine law.. Vermont they are secondary heat source only.. because 2 weeks of 20 below they will not keep up.. regs here says ability to maintain 80 degrees over outside ambiant temps so banks will not finance as sole heat.. except in super high efficient buildings that get exception
Good to know, will certainly keep that in mind. Wood stove will be the REAL primary heat source, but the bank doesn't buy that either I'm sure.
Ordered it last week , just hooked it up Wednesday so I don't really know the cost of running it. Did you go to the web site and check em out ? FHW is that forced hot water ? Sounds like they would be perfect for what you want From the manufacture How economical is it to run the envi heater? It is one of the most economical heaters on the market today. Because the heater is of such a low wattage (only 475 watts), it uses on average 4 cents of electricity per hour to operate* depending on the region. This compares well with other space heaters that use up to 18 cents or more per hour. (* 4c/hr is based on the US national average of 10 cents per KWh) So far I really like it , I think it's putting out as much heat as a 1500 watt heater does , I might buy another one. Fall Sale right now , buy 2 get 10% off free shipping, I signed up for their e mail and got a code for 15 bucks off free shipping. 50 last night 65 today, the only heat and It's keeping most of the house at 72, far room 69 , turned 3/4 way up, I decided to try it out in the hall . It's best to put them on an interior wall
There are several dealers of those heat pumps. Give them a call. You could put in a any number of inexpensive heaters that will pass, but not be efficient. would keep the bank happy.
Bedroom 12k, living room/kitchen 15k, office 12k, hallway 12k (10x37), and garage 18k. I wanted a zone for every area. It was a little more upfront but I can section them off easily.
