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I don't think the hardware is that expensive in the US, it's the installation (which costs more than the hardware). And mistakes by installers will cost even m
by Brybry 4y ago
I don't think the hardware is that expensive in the US, it's the installation (which costs more than the hardware).
And mistakes by installers will cost even more. Our installers didn't flare a line set connection properly and it leaked slowly and that was a very expensive bill (especially since refrigerants have changed so much).
Our Daikin indoor units have also had condensate leaking issues, probably due to poor installation.
Ductless heat pumps do seem like the future but I think there are issues with regards to condensate draining, air filtering, and indoor unit cleaning/maintenance and replacement that could be done much better.
- thehappypm 4y agoDaikon is way worse than Mitsubishi from what my hvac guy tells me
- fifteenforty 4y agoMitsubishi Electric or Mitsubishi Heavy Industries? I sourced opinions far and wide and in the end it seemed to be a coin toss between Mitsubishi Electric and Daikin. A lot of it comes done to parts availability, and both seem very strong in Australia.
- thehappypm 4y agoI live in a cold climate
- toomuchtodo 4y agoMitsubishi is gold standard in cold climates. It’ll pull heat from -30F air.
- EricE 4y agoThere's no reason that's unique to Misubishi. My parents Fujitsu has done so.
- toomuchtodo 4y agoBoth brands trade off as best cold weather heat pumps in ratings/evaluations (quick Google search should confirm), they’re both fairly high quality versus competitor brands.
- operatingthetan 4y agoDealer salespeople are loyal to their brands and shit talk the other brands, so I'd take that with a grain of salt. I own both brands, they are basically the same.
- bumby 4y ago>And mistakes by installers will cost even more. I once looked at a house with a new GSHP horizontal loop installed in the desert southwest US. I talked to the installer and they said the loop was only 12” deep. There’s no way the ground maintains steady temp at that depth, meaning you’re losing efficiency in the hot months when you need it most. Not to mention thermal pollution which will exacerbate the problem and the risk of hitting the loop with even minor ground work. They were adamant it was a good design. Unfortunately, many installers jump on the bandwagon without the necessary expertise.
- fooqux 4y agoTwelve inches? If that's true it seems like it would get ruined quickly by roots, animals, vehicles, lawn mowers, and basically everything else.
- bumby 4y agoYeah, I know it seems more likely that was a typo, but that's what they told me :) Tbf, roots, animals, and mowers probably aren't that big of an issue because it was mostly xeriscaped desert.
- fifteenforty 4y agoI take your point, but installation faults in central gas heating are also very common, but perhaps less obvious. The main one I’m thinking about is poor sealing or placement of the return duct, causing entrainment of air from the wall cavity. Source: local experts, and then I inspected my friend’s houses (hah).
- darken 4y agoI love our Daikin mini-splits (came with the house), but as you allude to I've had to become an mini expert on deep cleaning them. They've can get GROSS with mold when used for cooling, and the cursory filter only does so much. That being said, now they stay clean for a few years after a deep cleaning -- though my first few attempt before I refined the process did not stay clean nearly as long. (Proper water pressure and disinfect is key.) Cleaning basically involves a dedicated cover + drain that diverts water to a bucket, and blasting it with what's effectively a "low power pressure washer" I can use indoors (carefully), and "Lemocide" to properly disinfect... And coil cleaner for the fins. Takes me a good 4+ hours per unit, largely spent preparing the area in case there is any rogue spray. (Though TBH I may be a bit obsessive about getting it right.) I also had a drain leak as you mentioned -- blasting the drain line with aforementioned "low pressure washer" helped with that. Still a bit gross to deal with. (And learning how to properly disassemble and clean the drip tray is the final thing I've put off leaning for a completely-thorough deep clean... I'm a bit horrified anticipating what I'll find...)
- fifteenforty 4y agoThe no 1 reason I bought the Daikin model referenced over the comparable Mitsubishi Electric is that it has the ‘MOULD PROOF’ function. It runs the fan automatically after you have had it in cooling mode, to evaporate the moisture build up from the interior condenser coil, thereby removing the moisture required for the growth of bacteria and mould. So far, it seems to be working! Better than relying on everyone to manually do it (literally this is the instruction in the Mitsubishi Electric user manual).
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]