Mitsubishi ductless vs. central air

rrtom · 07-13-2011, 01:56 PM

We want to add some sort of air conditioning to our 1500 SQF home. We are considering both the Mitsubishi ductless for 3 bedrooms and the den, as well as traditional hvac for whole house. While we are getting quotes for both, I cannot find good (real life) comparisons of the two as far as expense to operate, maintenance, warranties, noise, etc. Any input would be appreciated.

vln · 07-13-2011, 02:07 PM

The Ductless air conditioning is great, but it is extremely expensive and not many HVAC places will install it or service it. Mitsubishi's warranties are not known to be great either.

Ductless will save you money, but the install cost outweighs the benefits for several years.

vsheetz · 07-13-2011, 03:27 PM

WElcome!

Ductless, having multiple air handlers in each room area, can allow for zones to be shut down or reduced, thus conserving energy and dollars. Ductless can offer installation flexability and simplicity in some senarios.

Today, I think you will find the cost delta between whole house and ductless won't provide a good ROI. This depends a lot on the climate where you live, how long you intend to live in the house, etc. Get multiple quotes both ways and run the numbers.

ChootarLaal · 07-13-2011, 11:20 PM

I've been doing a lot of research in the ductless mini split AC units for the past few months and ended up buying the Mitsubishi Mr. Slim. They have the best warranty out of all the split units and have been making these units for decades.

Other brands have much worse failure rates. The Mr. Slims cost a little more than other brands, but they have a much better warranty and make a more reliable product, I like the piece of mind.

ChootarLaal · 07-13-2011, 11:23 PM

BTW, I bought a MSZ4b36NA (36k BTU) quad unit with 9k BTU (3) and 15k BTU (1) evaporators. It cost ~$4500 delivered and I received quotes of $900-$2000 to install.