Suppose you are considering getting a mini-split air conditioner. In that case, one of the most important steps is choosing the right size unit for your home. Mini-split systems are one of the most energy-efficient ways to heat and cool a home. But many homeowners want to know, “How many mini-splits do I need for my house?”
Before deciding how many mini-split you need in your home, you need to think about several things. We talk about these in more depth in this article.
Mini-split systems can be categorized as single-zone or multi-zone. It has two main parts: one that goes inside and one that goes outside. Instead of buying several sets of mini splits, you only need one mini-split air conditioner to be used in more than one zone in your house.
With a single-zone solution, you only need one ductless mini-split system. Only one room in your home is set up with the system. Since your mini-split only has one zone, the other rooms in your home would not get benefit from it.
You can set a ductless mini-split system for more than one zone. This system has an outdoor compressor that you can connect to as many indoor units as you need.
A multi-zone system can have as few as two units, but some homeowners choose to have as many as five. To figure out how many mini-split AC units you’d need for your house, you’d have to count the rooms that need to be cooling. Each room is its own separate zone.
As an example, most house has a living room, dining room, kitchen, bathrooms, and two bedrooms. You want the living room and the two bedrooms to be cooled. That means you would need a mini-split system with three units and more than one zone.
The compressor is only one, but these three units would be set up inside your home in different rooms. You can install the unit in a ceiling-cassette style, which makes it less noticeable. You could also try to put the unit under the floor so that it can’t be seen. Horizontal ducting and wall mounting are two other ways to do this.
You should know that the more units you have in your ductless mini-split system, the more it will cost to maintain the system. The cost of installation is also more. But a multi-zone mini-split system is perfect if you need better temperature control in more than one room in your house.
How many BTUs do I need for my mini-splits?
The next question is; how many BTUs do I need for my mini-splits system? The number of mini splits you need in your house depends on how many BTUs your system will use.
Figure out how many BTUs you need based on the size of your home. As a rule of thumb, an air conditioner generally needs 20 BTU for each square foot of living space.
For a home that is 1,500 square feet, you would need 1,500 x 20 = 30,000 BTU. You can use one mini-split with 30,000 BTU, two mini-splits with 15,000 BTU, or three mini-splits with 10,000 BTU.
Pay attention to the airflow and how you can get to different rooms. A single 30,000 BTU mini split won’t be able to move enough air into all the rooms in a larger space. You will end up with hot spots and an uneven spread of temperature.
Final Words
If you want to know how many mini-split you need for your house, you should figure out the size of each room separately. A process called “load calculation” is used to figure out what size mini-split you need for each room. This calculation figures out how much hot or cold air is needed to keep the area at a steady and comfortable temperature.
Consult a professional HVAC contractor if you want a more accurate size calculation. Your local, qualified HVAC technician will give you a professional calculation for your home and help you choose the right mini-split for your home.
