Ductless Mini-Split Installation Process

You have seen ductless mini-splits even if you didn’t remember the name for them. They’re those capsules on the wall that heat or cool a space.

There are some great benefits to ductless heating and cooling, and so we often get asked questions about ductless installation. What’s involved, what does it cost, can I do it myself? And more.

This article is designed to walk you through each of those questions and more. We like to be open and share educational information about HVAC, and we value having informed customers who understand their heating and cooling needs and also the benefits of paying close attention to it.

So this is your guide to ductless mini-split installation, and a lot of the considerations that come along with it.

Is DIY Mini-Split Installation Safe?

Upfront, this isn’t a DIY article. For that, you’re going to want to go elsewhere, in full disclosure.

If you’re still deciding whether or not to install your system DIY, though, this article may be useful.

The biggest word of caution that we can give to people considering DIY is this: a fair number of calls we get come from people who attempted a DIY project, and we’re having to go in and either fix it, or replace it since the unit didn’t last as long as expected.

The upside to DIY installation is that you’ll save a lot of money on installation.

The potential downside comes later. Without a licensed installer doing the work, you’re unlikely to have much of a warranty in case things go wrong The average lifespan of the unit is also unlikely to be as long as a professionally installed one.

Last, “operating” vs. “operating efficiently” can be a big deal in heating and cooling, so you might have a perfectly functional DIY mini-split, but if it’s operating 20% less efficiently, you’re paying for it over time. The maintenance and calibration of the system is crucial to ensuring this efficiency is in place.

If you’re still undeterred, we’re not your boss. Good luck and we hope it goes well. But you may also want to continue reading to see the broad installation considerations that are part of our process.

How Ductless Units Work and What This Means for Installation

Ductless heating and cooling works much like a central air conditioner, or more precisely a heat pump, since most ductless equipment can pull heat out of a home or into a home depending on its heating or cooling needs.

Refrigerant in the system runs between an indoor and outdoor unit, compressing or expanding in either unit through mechanical functions that allow it to absorb or emit heat. In this way, it transfers heat from one unit to the other, either cooling or heating your indoor air.

First when it comes to installing, this means you need to decide if you want a unit that only cools or does both heating and cooling. The cost to upgrade to one that does both is usually fairly minor compared to the total cost of installation, so it can be a good decision for many homeowners.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Ductless Heating and Cooling

We’ll start with the drawbacks first, because we don’t want to hide the fact that it’s not always the best solution for a home:

1. Installation cost can be significant.
2. A ductless unit will only heat and cool a single area of your home.
3. They don’t filter the air as effectively as a whole-home, central air system.

The benefits make it worth considering for many, though:

1. Ductless units are extremely efficient when installed properly.
2. They provide consistent heating and cooling for hard-to-condition spaces.
3. Perfect for finished basements, finished attics, master bedrooms, working garages, guest houses or guest rooms, and more.
4. They don’t require ductwork infrastructure in the home and thus can be installed nearly anywhere.

The cost is a deterrent for some, while others love getting to use an additional space in their home at all times of the year and get more than enough use to justify the investment.

Picking a Ductless Unit

So there are types of ductless mini-splits, which most don’t think about. The reasons for one type over another will become obvious as we list them out.

Multi-Head Units

We tend to think of ductless as being a single capsule on the wall that runs to a single outdoor unit via a line between the two. That’s usually true, but not always.

Ductless can be dual-head or multi-head as well, meaning that two or more indoor units run to a single outdoor unit.

This can be great for covering multiple rooms or larger spaces, but comes with additional installation complications related to connecting the systems.

Types of Ductless Heads

The rectangular capsule is nearly synonymous with ductless, but they can also be ceiling units that embed and run flush with a ceiling, and they can be floor-mounted units, sort of like you might see in a hotel room (at least similar in look; those are often different in their heating and cooling construction).

Where you want to install the unit can alter the type of indoor head you use.

Electrical Wiring

Since ductless equipment isn’t connected to your central air thermostat, ductwork, or other HVAC equipment, oftentimes electrical wiring and connections need to be installed along with the main equipment.

So earlier when we said they can be installed nearly anywhere, this is true, but not every location is created equal! How easy or hard it will be to connect the electrical wiring in a particular location can make some decisions on installation location and type.

Drainage of the Ductless Unit

If your mini-split is on an upper story, it will simply use gravity to drain additional moisture that accumulates as a result of the cooling and heating process. This condensate will end up outside. Easy enough.

But for example if it’s running to an outdoor unit that’s above the indoor unit (as with a finished basement and some first floor installations), a separate condensate pump will have to be installed with the unit.

While these pumps don’t add a lot in terms of cost, there’s additional installation steps required with them. They also have a reputation for malfunctioning more often than the primary equipment, so it can place a greater importance on regular tune-ups after installation.

Installation Procedure for Ductless Mini-Splits

Now you understand the decisions that you’ll make with a sales professional and installation company. Let’s look at the installation process itself, and the major steps a good company will take during an install process.

Setup and Overview

Your installer should review the job with you before any work takes place, ensuring that you’re on the same page on what work will be completed. Most installations also include removing items from the installation area and potentially placing dropcloths down to avoid mess.

Indoor Unit Installation

The indoor unit will need to be secured to the wall, and a hole will be drilled through the wall to the outside. This is where the line set will connect the indoor and outdoor units.

The installation is minimally intrusive, though, and if you’re worried about us saying a hole gets drilled, we can assure you that if anything, you home’s value will increase as a result of a ductless installation.

Outdoor Unit Installation

The outdoor unit needs to be similarly secured, either by fixing it to the ground or a small pad on the outside of the home, or slightly elevated on metal slats that are affixed to the side of your home.

Line Set Installation

The line set runs between the two, and has the refrigerant line and electrical wiring that connects the two and allows the indoor and outdoor units to communicate with one another.

Line sets can sometimes be a bit of an eyesore on the side of your home. Some companies are able to offer what’s called “line hide” that can be painted to blend in with your home’s siding. This isn’t a necessary feature, but is something that can be added during installation or any time afterward.

Testing Connections

Tests need to be run at this point for indoor electrical wiring, outdoor electrical wiring, proper condensate drainage, and refrigerant levels at every stage of the cooling process.

These often result in the need for fine-tuned calibrations that will make your system more efficient and reliable.

Functionality Testing and Integration

Simply running the unit and making sure it’s working isn’t the final step, but it’s an important one.

Many ductless units are operated by remote control and can integrate with phone-based apps. Testing these integrations to ensure it’s operating smoothly is the last mechanical step.

A good installer should walk you through any of these tools as well so that you know how to operate your unit without hassle.

How Long Does Ductless Mini-Split Installation Take?

For a single capsule, we generally recommend planning for six hours. This can be longer or shorter based on a number of factors that will be unique to your home and can either make the job easier or more complicated.

These factors may also make the job slightly more or less expensive, since labor costs are a big part of the overall expense. You should know all of this going in, though, so that there are no surprises on the day of installation.

Ductless Mini-Split Installation in Sacramento, CA

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to ductless installation, and we’re not naive enough to think that all of your questions are answered in this article.

That’s why we offer free quotes on installation services and no-pressure appointments so that you can make an informed decision that includes all of your options for heating and cooling. It’s what makes us one of the best-reviewed companies in all of Sacramento.

If you’re in the Sacramento area, we hope you’ll make the call today and take the next step toward a more comfortable home!