Mini splits are great if you want to save energy and keep different areas of your home, office, or other types of multi-room buildings temperature controlled. These mini splits come in various sizes, which is great for you when you’re looking to get one, though it can also be confusing. How do you choose the right size mini split for your space?
Table of Contents
Here are the things you should consider when choosing the right size mini split:
- Determine the number of zones per mini split.
- Decide where to place your mini split.
- Determine the number of mini splits you need.
- Consider the installation process.
If you’re thinking of getting a mini split but don’t know which size or type to get, you’re in the right place! This article will have everything you need to know about choosing the right mini split size for your space, including what you should consider making a decision.
1. Determine the Number of Zones per Mini Split
First, you need to know how many zones your mini split will be controlling. There are two types of zones mini splits are made for: single-zones and multi-zone.
- Single-zone mini splits. A single-zone mini split will only control the temperature of one room from a single mini split. It’s okay if you only need one room heated and cooled. However, if you need to heat multiple rooms, you should consider the multi-zone type.
- Multi-zone mini splits. They’re connected at the central control point. However, rooms can still have individual temperature control from one central point anywhere from two to four or more. The benefit of multi-zone mini splits is that they don’t have a unit in each room, only one for all the rooms.
This Cooper & Hunter Dual Zone Mini Split from Amazon.com comes in 10 sizes and will heat and cool two zones. There’s a built-in water pump, two remotes, and a 25-feet (7.62-meter) installation kit, so you’ll have a lot of flexibility with where to mount it and which rooms it controls.
If you’re looking for a mini split that’s only for one room or the multiple rooms it’ll be controlling are far apart, you should get a single-zone mini split. But if you need to control the temperature of multiple rooms, get a multi-zone mini split.
Read: Do I Need A Mini Split In Every Room?
2. Decide Where To Place Your Mini Split
Next, you need to decide where you want to put your mini split to know how much space you have for your unit and what size can fit. There are a few common ways to mount a mini split, including the wall, the ceiling, the floor, and a concealed version.
Wall-Mounted Mini Split
Wall-mounted mini splits are the most common type since they tend to be cheaper than the other kinds. Putting them high on the wall is an excellent spot without it being too conspicuous.
Here’s a YouTube video from This Old House, which gives a great guide to wall mount mini split installation. It’ll give you a good idea of how these will look in your home and how much space you need for a wall-mounted mini split.
Floor-Mounted Mini Split
If you want something lower on the wall, you should do a floor-mounted mini split. It can either sit directly on the floor or mounted on the lower part of the wall.
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Floor-mounted mini splits are best if you have a lot of wall art or big windows, and you cannot have your mini split get in the way of them.
Read: Can You Put A Mini Split In Bathroom?
Ceiling-Mounted Mini Split
Another option for keeping your wall clear but still having a mini split is to get one that mounts on the ceiling. These ceiling-mounted mini splits are also good because you have more flexibility with where you mount it since your ceiling is likely wide-open. The closer to the middle you mount it, the more even the airflow coming from it will be.
Concealed Mini Split
Finally, you can get a mini split that you can conceal on your wall. These are good for multi-zone mini splits because you can get the mini split closer to all the rooms without choosing a room you want it to go in.
Knowing where you want your mini split to go is important when choosing a size because you have fewer options with larger mini splits in terms of where you can put them.
Read: Mini Split In Dry Mode Vs. Dehumidifier: Which One Is More Efficient?
3. Determine the Number of Mini Splits You Need
Now that you know you can control one to four zones with a mini split and that you have different options to mount it, you need to determine if you need more than one and how many.
As mentioned, if you only need to control a single room, you need a single-zone mini split. But if you have more than one room, you need to consider how many to get.
For two to four rooms, you can get one multi-zone mini split, as long as the rooms are all close together and you have a place to put the central control box.
However, if your rooms are more spread apart and mounting the mini split’s central control point between them isn’t practical, you need to get more than one mini split.
You can get two single-zone mini splits if the two rooms you want to be heated are far apart. You can also get two multi-zone mini splits to heat and cool rooms that are far apart. For example, if you have two bedrooms at each end of your home, you can get a multi-zone mini split for the two bedrooms on one side and another for the other two.
Another situation in which you’ll need more than one mini-split is if you have a lot of rooms that you need to heat and cool.
For example, you have a large office building with twelve offices, and you want each room to have its own temperature control. To achieve this, you can get six two-zone mini splits, three four-zone mini splits, or some other variation of multi-zone mini splits.
Read: Do Mini-Splits Use A Lot Of Electricity?
4.Consider the Installation Process
Finalize your plan for installing your mini splits. If you decide you need a lot of mini splits or a larger, multi-zone one, you want to figure out how you’ll be installing them since you may likely need help.
You should consider the time, money, and energy this installation process will cost you since these may also help you determine how many mini splits to get and if you should go for single or multi-zone ones.
If you already have a mini split and are just replacing it, you can get one of the same sizes as the existing one. It’ll make it easier for you to install since you already have the mounting materials and holes you’ll need.
If you’re planning on installing the mini split on your own, Trial N’ Error has a complete guide for dummies on how you can do this. The YouTube video will walk you through everything step by step, including what tools you need and how to make the process easier for you.
Read: Mini-Split Humidity Problems
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right mini split size is important if you want it to fit your home or business just right, and you want it to work as efficiently as possible.
The first thing you need to do is figure out how many zones you want in your mini split. You should then decide where you want it to go, and how many mini splits you’ll need if you have a lot of rooms to consider.
Lastly, make sure you know how to install the mini split and hire someone if you need help to get it working correctly.