At one time or another, every home needs a new HVAC system. If you’re approaching that time for your Nashua, NH home, you have plenty of great options. One of those options is a ductless mini-split HVAC system. They offer a variety of advantages over conventional ducted HVAC, including superior energy efficiency. However, plenty of homeowners dismiss mini-splits as a whole-home HVAC option. They do it because of the misconception that mini-splits are only suited for one or two rooms. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. To explain, here’s everything you need to know about mini-split sizing and how many zones they support.
Ductless Mini-Split Capacities
To understand how many zones a ductless mini-split can support, you must first understand mini-split system sizes. You can purchase mini-splits with as little as 6,000 British Thermal Units (BTUs) of capacity and ones capable of up to 60,000 BTUs. The latter is the equivalent of a 5-ton ducted HVAC system, which is enough to cool up to 3,000 square feet.
You must also understand how the indoor air handlers of ductless mini-splits work. Mini-splits rely on a single air handler for each zone. They also come in a variety of capacities, ranging from 6,000 to 36,000 BTUs. A mini-split’s outdoor unit can only support air handlers that add up to its maximum BTU capacity. This allows system designers to mix and match indoor units to customize systems for different indoor spaces. However, there are no mini-splits on the market today that support more than eight connected air handlers.
Determining What Size Mini-Split You Need
If your home already has an existing HVAC system, its size should be roughly equivalent to the mini-split you’d need. However, that won’t tell you how many zones you need. Generally speaking, you will need a mini-split air handler in each room of your home. If you have any open-plan spaces, you may be able to serve them with a single air handler. However, multiple factors will determine the capacities of the air handlers you’ll need. The most basic among these is the square footage of each room that needs an air handler. The following information offers an estimate of how many BTUs you’ll need.
- 6,000 BTUs for 150 to 250 square feet
- 7,000 BTUs for 250 to 300 square feet
- 8,000 BTUs for 300 to 350 square feet
- 9,000 BTUs for 350 to 400 square feet
- 12,000 BTUs for 400 to 550 square feet
- 18,000 BTUs for 550 to 1,000 square feet
- 24,000 BTUs for 1,000 to 1,250 square feet
- 30,000 BTUs for 1,250 to 1,350 square feet
- 36,000 BTUs for 1,350 to 1,500 square feet
It’s worth pointing out, though, that replacing your HVAC offers an opportunity to reconfirm your heating and cooling needs. That’s why you should consult one of our experts before you make any decisions about a replacement HVAC. They’ll perform precise calculations of your home’s needs. They’ll take things like insulation, major appliances, and the efficiency of your windows and doors into account. That way, you won’t waste money on a mini-split that’s too big or suffer poor comfort from one that’s too small.
Options for Larger Homes
If your home is bigger than the largest mini-split available, don’t fret. In those situations, you can install two smaller mini-split HVAC systems to cover your whole home. Sometimes, doing so will be your best option, even if a large mini-split has sufficient capacity. For example, you may wish to install two mini-splits to make the routing of their refrigerant lines easier. Sometimes, you’ll have little choice but to approach a mini-split installation this way.
The reason is that a mini-split’s outdoor unit can only support refrigerant lines up to a predetermined length. Beyond that, the system wouldn’t be capable of sending sufficient refrigerant volume where you need it. Plus, mini-splits have maximum single-line set lengths, too. This means you can only place individual air handlers a certain distance away. To get around that, you can install a mini-split to cover one half of your home and another for the other half. This allows you to place the outdoor units much closer to the air handlers they’ll support. This can also increase your overall heating and cooling efficiency.
Ducted Mini-Splits
Although they’re not as popular as ductless models, there are also mini-split systems with ducted air handlers. These make a suitable replacement for conventional HVAC systems. In that configuration, you’d have a single high-capacity mini-split outdoor unit serving a single air handler. One of the largest purveyors of such systems is Mitsubishi Electric. And as a Mitsubishi Electric dealer, we carry and install the latest ducted mini-split HVAC systems.
The air handlers of such systems are almost indistinguishable from the air handlers that conventional systems use. The only difference is that ducted mini-split air handlers are typically smaller than conventional ones. That means you can save some space inside your home by installing one.
Some mini splits also support ducted air handlers you can install inside of your home’s ceilings. They offer an excellent way to make use of existing ductwork while still enjoying multiple HVAC zones. They’re also less visible than the wall-mounted air handlers most mini-splits use. They can make a perfect option if you don’t like the look of wall-mounted units or ceiling cassettes.
Using a Mini-Split Alongside Your Existing HVAC
You can also install a mini-split to work in concert with your home’s existing HVAC. It can be a simple way to add heating and cooling to parts of your home that don’t already have it. For example, it’s common for homeowners to use a mini-split to serve a newly finished basement. This turns the new space into its own HVAC zone without disturbing your existing HVAC. You can also use a mini-split for sunrooms and even for supplementary cooling in kitchens or other hot spaces. This is a preferable option compared to extending your home’s ductwork. Doing that could harm the airflow in other parts of your home. It may also force you to purchase a larger HVAC to serve the extra space.
Trusted Local Mini-Split Specialists
If you think a ductless mini-split HVAC would make a perfect choice for your Nashua home, Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc. can help. We’ve served local homes and businesses for nearly 30 years. We offer complete HVAC services, including installation, maintenance, and repair. That includes working with the latest boilers, heat pumps, and ductless mini-splits. Plus, we offer commercial HVAC services, high-velocity HVAC, water heaters, and Wi-Fi thermostats.
We’re the only name you need to know for all of your comfort needs here in Nashua. We even offer financing on approved credit to help you pay for the new mini-split you need. We’re also Better Business Bureau-accredited with an A+ rating. So, if you’d like to have a new ductless mini-split HVAC installed in Nashua, call our experts at Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc. today to get started!
