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Choosing the Mini Split that’s Right for You
When you live in New Mexico, there are few things as important for your home as keeping cool. There are a lot of options when it comes to heating and cooling, but one of the biggest and best options available now is the ductless mini split. No need for expensive ductwork. No potentially dangerous window unit. Just a sleek design and an adaptable setup that can keep you warm or cool all through the year.
But having a system that’s adaptable means you can size up and size down. So…what size do you need? We’re here to help you figure it out, so let’s get down to business.
What Size Mini Split Do I Need?
In order to determine what size mini split ductless system your home needs, you should consult one of TLC’s expert technicians. If you want a rough estimate of the power you’ll need and what to consider before installation. We have a simple mini split guide:
- Determine how many different cooling zones your combined system will use. (Multi zone vs Single zone)
- Measure the square footage of each area that will be cooled by a mini-split unit.
- Add the square footage of all zones together.
- Consider how Insulated your house is.
- Check your electrical panel. Does it have room?
- Convert the square footage to cooling units (BTUs) by multiplying the square footage by 25.
- Select a mini split rated for the BTU you need (usually listed by how many thousand BTUs of output they have – 12K, 30K, and so on).
What Factors Affect Mini Split Sizing?
Honestly, that list could really say “everything” but that seems a bit vague. However, things like cathedral ceilings or a hot oven in the space can have a huge effect on what it takes to keep you cool. It takes way less energy to cool an empty living room than it does if you’re the party house on the block, and you have a dozen people over to watch the game.
These factors are why we emphasize that it’s best to have a tech come out and consult on what size mini split ductless system will be right for installation in your home, but it’s always useful to have an idea of what you might be looking at, which is why we’re going to answer this next question.
What is BTU and How Many BTU’s Do I Need Per Square Foot?
BTU stands for British Thermal Unit. It’s the unit of measurement we use to measure thermal energy (heat) in a space. Cooling a space is, technically, removing BTUs from a space while heating is adding BTUs to a space. BTUs are often measured in “tons” each ton of BTUs being 12000 BTUs.
It is recommended that a ductless mini split system provide 25 BTUs per square foot of space to be cooled.
How Do I Size a Mini Split?
Okay, everybody goes on Web MD or uses AI to look up their symptoms before they go to the doctor. We get it. It’s best to have our tech come consult on what size unit to order, because they can also tell you what will be involved in installation. But there’s nothing wrong with getting an estimate first.
A square foot of space in your home requires roughly twenty five BTUs, so the basic equation we use to estimate the number of BTUs you need for you home is this:
TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE TO BE COOLED x 25 = BTUs Needed
For Example, a space that measures 10ft wide x 30ft long would be 300 square feet of cooled space. 300 x 25 = 7500 BTUs. So, before factoring any other factors in the space (windows, doors, insulation etc) you would be looking for a mini split system that could handle at least 7500 BTUs..
Is it Better to Undersize or Oversize a Mini Split?
As the entire article up to this point says, you should try and shoot for the right size for your space. However, if you’ve done all your measurements and had your consultation and maybe you fall right on the line, you might be wondering – is it better to buy a mini split that is undersized or oversized?
If you buy an undersized unit, the primary problem you’re going to run into is long run times. It’s going to take the system longer to get to your desired temperature in the space, and it’s going to put more stress on the unit. This means you’re going to be using more electricity, and obviously, that’s not ideal
However, if you oversize your mini split, it will have the result of the system constantly coming on to cool the area, quickly hitting its goal, immediately shutting off, and then starting back up minutes later. This is called “short cycling” and it’s a killer. A startup puts much more wear and tear on your system, and if short cycling is causing it to restart dozens of times a day, it’s going to need more repairs and have issues.
So, if you are forced to choose between oversized or undersized mini splits, choose the undersized. It may take longer to reach the desired temperature, but it will last longer and require fewer repairs.
How Many Mini Splits Do I Need?
One of the major factors that can determine what size of multi zone mini split you need is the number of mini split units you want to set up in your home. So, how many do you need?
Ultimately, that’s your call, but the best way to determine that number, is to figure out how many “cooling zones” you want in your house. Do you use the system in your upstairs and downstairs at the same time? Do different bedrooms need to maintain different temperatures? Are certain areas of the house going to be separated by doors during periods when cooling is needed?
For each zone, you need a separate internal unit. That way you can keep your bedroom nice and cool at night without having to keep the empty living room and kitchen the same temperature. Installing multiple zones will cost you more up front, but it will save you tons of money on your electricity bills down the line.
Of course, the easiest way to make sure you have the right mini split for your needs with through a free consultation with our a/c experts. Give us a call and we can get you the right amount of cool for your home!
