Ductless Mini-Split Installation in Penrose, NC Replaces Old Central Heat and Air
Ductless Mini-Splits Cools and Heats
When a home or vacation home is unoccupied for some time, homeowners can often find a surprise when they come back. Sometimes it’s just overgrown landscaping, and sometimes it’s damage caused by weather or furry friends who’ve decided your home is their home as well!
That’s what happened to the owners of this mobile home in Penrose, NC. When they came up to their home, they discovered the heating and cooling system wasn’t working and gave our experts at Blue Ridge Heating and Air a call to see if we could figure out what needed to be done.
The existing heat pump system that they had been using was 13 years old, which is usually towards the end of the lifespan of these systems. But the big problem here wasn’t just an aging heat pump, but the fact that some critters- likely racoons or other varmints – had gotten into the ductwork that ran under the mobile home and did some serious damage.
Problem: Owner of this mobile home in the Jeter Mountain community of Penrose, NC discovered the old heat pump was not heating or cooling properly, and because it hadn’t been occupied for a while, critters had destroyed the ductwork.
Solution: A two zone Mitsubishi ductless system will keep the home comfortable and eliminate the previous problems with critters in the ductwork.
How To Critter-Proof A Mobile Home
Once we got to the bottom of the problem, the next step was to look at options that would prevent this kind of thing from happening again. The great team here at Blue Ridge Heating and Air knew a ductless system could provide the heating and cooling the owners needed for the home, without needing to use the ductwork. In addition, by eliminating the ductwork from the home, we would be eliminating the extra living space for nature’s uninvited guests to take up residence again!
Designing a system for Just the Right Level Of Comfort
Mobile homes can be a little tricky to heat and cool, because they are long and narrow, with rooms usually located off a main hallway. There’s often a big center room and a kitchen, and usually a bedroom or two on the opposite end of the home. For this home, the owners used the back bedrooms of the home for storage only, so they were more interested in comfort for the kitchen and living room areas, which they used on a consistent basis.
Ductless System Provides Energy Efficient Comfort
Mitsubishi ductless heating and cooling systems are high-efficiency heat pumps, that can both heat and cool your home. They have two main components- an outdoor condenser unit, and indoor units, sometimes called heads or cassettes, which usually are mounted up on a wall, out of the way. Because of these two components, these systems are often referred to as “Mini-splits.”
Based on the needs of the owners of this mobile home, we recommended a two zone solution – two indoor heads, one for the kitchen and one for the living room area, where the owners spent most of their time. One outdoor condenser can be sized to power multiple indoor units, and each of the indoor units creates a separate zone of heating and cooling. Each indoor unit can be controlled independently by a handheld remote- or even by a smartphone app. That means you can add a little more coolness to the kitchen while cooking, while not affecting the people comfortably hanging out in the living room- giving everyone the comfort they need.
We removed the old heat pump and ductwork, and we also took extra care to mount the outdoor condenser unit off the ground, keeping it free of leaves and debris that might affect its operation, and making it easier to clean and maintain.
Customized Comfort With Ductless Mini Splits
We mounted one of the indoor heads up at the peak of the ceiling in the living room, where the sensors could monitor the room. The advanced sensors in these Mitsubishi Ductless systems allow them to essentially scan the room, and distribute air evenly throughout, eliminating hot and cold spots. The inverter system is designed so the system turns on just enough to maintain a consistent level of comfort, kind of like cruise control on your car. That means the variable speed fan and inverter helps the system to monitor your comfort, delivering just the heating or cooling needed. And because there are no big swings in temperature, you end up using less energy, and that means lower energy bills each month with greater comfort!
The home also had a small wall mounted heater and gas logs they could use for supplemental heat if needed, on those rare occasions things get very cold. But since Mitsubishi Electric Ductless systems work efficiently down to even -13F, we think the homeowners will end up using their gas logs more for atmosphere than heating with this new system installed!
A Second Head for the Kitchen
We also mounted another indoor head in the kitchen area as well. This means extra comfort while cooking and dining, and that means more relaxing with friends and family without getting hot under the collar!
Saving Money On Monthly Energy Bills
One of the great things about Mitsubishi Ductless is how energy-efficient it is. It’s up to 70% more efficient than baseboard heating and up to 30% more efficient in cooling, which means it qualifies for energy saving rebates from Duke Energy.
In addition, the systems qualify for federal tax credits of up to $2,000 depending on your system, under the new Inflation Reduction Act. That can mean big savings, making this change in system can be more affordable than ever. Along with smaller energy bills each month and the ability to control the system remotely from a smart phone app, this system will serve these homeowners well for many years to come- critter-free!
If You’re Having Heating and Cooling Problems, Give Us a Call!
We were happy to help these owners get the comfort they wanted in their home, and help make it “critter-free” (or at least Critter resistant!) with a two-zone Mitsubishi ductless system. These systems also come with a ten year warranty, which will help ensure comfort for years to come. If you are having heating or cooling issues in your home, or of you have areas that just always seem to be too hot or too cold, give us a call here at Blue ridge Heating & air! We can help design a solution that will keep you comfortable- in your home, and in your wallet!