Portabale AC units?

[Bonibelle]

Think long term, Drew!  think energy savings..not only from your electric bills, but also your back hauling those window units. Think resale value of your house...and check into those energy tax credits. that could save you some $$$, even though it may not happen until tax time. I would really weigh this out. It only took me 2 years of window units to say forget this...and go with the Sanyos....what about a short term Home Equity loan? Deductable interest ...A window unit won't give you ANY return on your money. The split duct units are like central air (I think they are actually better).

[drewstar]

I wont' get any tax credits as I'm not on a national grid.  

But yea, I'm with you Bonnie  Got find a an AC guy to come over.

[Bonibelle]

Are you sure, Drew?
 http://www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm.
I don't see specificatons for who can qualify ...
It looks like $300.00..and that is not a deduction, it is a credit. You get $300.00 back.

[drewstar]

No I am  not sure.

I was told that I don't any credit for the "energy star" stuff, but I do think you are correct with credit you provided me with!

[Bonibelle]

I bet if you find an installer, they will steer you in the right direction and assure you get the tax credit!

[drewstar]

called a local residentail HVAC place that installs the MR Slim units.

Typical  cost for a 1 unit bedroom....oh....about $4800.00


No way.

[Bonibelle]

try try again. I didn't take the first bid, and it was on that same unit. Check out Samsung...it was less expensive for a bigger unit..
I would not have paid 4800.00 either...how about your heating company or do you have electric?

[drewstar]

My house is all electric.

I'm seeing complete units on the internet for a single room going for 700-1200 bucks. perfect.    However, I wouldn't mind paying a few bucks to have it installed. (hence my under 2K impression/budget)


The 4800 "ballpark" knocked me out of my seat.


I'll check the hard copy yellow pages when I get home tonight.

[Tman122]

There's plenty of 110 V units on that Grainger page. How many BTU's were you thinkin, or has anyone done the calculation of what you need yet? How many SF? Upper level or lower level?

[Bonibelle]

Drew, there should be a website that lets you input the info Tman just asked you about. You can calculate your unit size. I just can't think of how I found it right now.  If you get a HVAC company to give you an estimate, wait and see if they come up with the same numbers. the first quote that I got was on that Mr.Slim unit and when I balked at the price compared to the Samsung, the sales person lowered his price...he also lowered the size of the unit!!! I guess he thought I was really stupid. We argued over the size that I needed and thankfully I told him to take a hike!  the Samsung does a great job and I know a smaller unit would not have been as efficient.

[drewstar]

There's plenty of 110 V units on that Grainger page. How many BTU's were you thinkin, or has anyone done the calculation of what you need yet? How many SF? Upper level or lower level?

It's a raised ranch house. Circa 1982.  The room is on the upper level.  The room is aprox 300 sq ft.  9-12K BTU should be plenty.

This pic shows the west side of my house.  (The short side is the west side). The bedroom runs front to back along the west side of the house and is about 15 feet wide inside. YOu can see the existing AC unit in the window (which fell out).
 

I'd like to put the new split unit in this room, but mount the Interior unit on the wall opposite of the outside west wall. (and run the pipes up into the attic, across the room (15 feet) and the out this side of the house and down to the ground where the 2 unit will be. Good thing there is plenty of power here. Right below this room is where the electrical panels are.  You can see the meters behind the bushes.

I've  got a few more numbers of HVAC companies that I will be calling to see what they think it would costs.

[Tman122]

Ok wait...300 SF x 22 = 6600 BTU x upper level calculater 1.54 = 10,164 BTU x fluff Yea your right on track. Get what you can afford. Mount it high, shorten the feeder runs as much as possible. And for grine out loud close the windows!!!

[Bonibelle]

So Drew, update us did you get split duct units?..

I took the lattice off from my deck to go under and inspect and clean my Samsung unit this weekend. My husband yelled because he claimed he saw a snake under there with me  ...I guess I disturbed this snake and out he went.  My kids captured him and decided it was a copper head  :-/.. I knew better and confirmed on line that we had a corn snake. So we put him back under the deck. Later we found a second one in the grass (definately not the same snake, but another corn sanke) and moved it under the deck also. Corn snakes are great to have for rodent control! I bet installers find snakes all the time. I think it's funny how many men are teriffied of snakes and spiders!

[drewstar]

I called several places and left messages asking to have a return call  to discuss installing a ductless system in my home.  I didn't hear back from any of them.  I guess this isn't the best time of year to try and get ahold of an AC guy?

The past few days we had extremeley hot days (90's) and my wife and I tried to cope with the broken AC  and wait it out  and hopefully hear back from one of the AC companies, but this weekend was just too hot and we agreed to just buy a standard in the window AC unit for the bedroom.   A quick check in consumer's reports and off to Sears we went. I

Maybe in a few years I'll revisit an upgrade to the ductless AC units, I would like one, but for now, I have too many other things on my plate to spend my cash on, and the Ductless AC adventure just didn't pan out.  

Thanks for everyone's help.  

[96SC]

I knew better and confirmed on line that we had a corn snake. So we put him back under the deck. Later we found a second one in the grass (definately not the same snake, but another corn sanke) and moved it under the deck also. Corn snakes are great to have for rodent control!

Good for you Bonni, I am always mystified why every encounter my friends have with snakes ends with a snake being be-headed.  
Cotton mouth, copper head etc, off with their heads but corn, black, garden etc leave them alone.