What Should I Expect From My Mini-Split Installation?

If you're considering a ductless mini-split system for your home, you probably have questions about what the actual installation looks like.

How long will it take? Where will the units go? Will installers need to cut into your walls? How much of a mess will there be? And what exactly is happening inside your home during those one or two days?

The good news is that mini-split installation is generally a fairly low-disruption process.

However, it is important to remember that every home and every installation is unique.

At American Air Heating & Cooling, we believe a successful mini-split installation starts well before we mount the first indoor unit. It starts with figuring out exactly what your home needs and planning where everything will go.

Here's what homeowners can expect from the mini-split installation process.

Before Installation Day: The Plan Is Already in Place

Before our crew arrives, the major decisions have already been made. We will know which rooms are getting units, where they will be placed, how many outdoor condensers are needed, where they will go, and how the refrigerant lines will be routed.

You should already have a clear picture of what your finished mini-split system will look like. Unsure of what questions to ask your contractor? Check out our post about the top 5 questions to ask a contractor before the planning even begins!

Installation day is when we put that plan into action.

What Actually Happens During a Mini-Split Installation?

Once the system has been planned, we can begin the physical installation.

Depending on the system and the home, the work may include:

• Mounting the indoor mini-split units

• Installing the outdoor condenser or condensers

• Drilling through walls where necessary

• Running refrigerant piping between the indoor and outdoor equipment

• Completing the necessary electrical work

• Connecting the indoor and outdoor equipment

• Testing the completed system

  
  

How involved that process becomes depends heavily on the number of indoor units, the number of outdoor condensers, and the layout of the house.

A single-zone installation is naturally going to look different from a whole-home mini-split system.

How Long Does Mini-Split Installation Take?

There isn't one timeline that applies to every mini-split installation.

The number of indoor units is one of the biggest factors. The number of outdoor condensers matters too, as does the route we have to take to connect everything.

For example, we completed one installation that included four indoor units connected to one outdoor condenser.

The refrigerant piping needed to run underneath the house through the crawl space.

That added some time and complexity to the job.

The complete installation took approximately two days.

That's why we would be cautious about making any blanket promise that every mini-split installation takes a certain number of hours.

Your home's layout and the system being installed determine the actual timeline.

How Much Mess Does a Mini-Split Installation Make?

Usually, not much.

There will be some drilling and installation work, but homeowners shouldn't expect their house to be torn apart.

There may be some minor cleanup and sweeping as we work. Furniture may also need to be moved temporarily so that we can access the wall where an indoor unit will be installed. If we're installing a unit on a wall with a couch underneath it, the couch may simply need to be pulled away from the wall while we work.

Our crew will also need access to each room where an indoor unit is being installed.

For most homeowners, the process is much less disruptive than they may imagine when they first hear that HVAC equipment is being installed throughout their home.

Where Do the Refrigerant Lines Go?

This is one part of mini-split installation that can sometimes surprise homeowners.

Every indoor unit needs to connect back to the outdoor equipment, which means we need a route for the refrigerant piping.

When an indoor unit is located on an exterior wall, that route can be relatively straightforward.

But sometimes the best location for comfort and airflow isn't an exterior wall.

That's when experience and careful planning become especially important.

A Real Installation: Putting a Mini-Split on an Interior Wall

We worked on one home where the best location for the indoor mini-split was an interior wall in the middle of the house.

That usually makes running the refrigerant piping more complicated, but not impossible.

In this particular situation the unit was on a wall that was the same wall as the stairwell leading into the basement.

We were able to route the lines through the stairwell wall and down into the basement. Once the refrigerant piping reached the basement, we had much more flexibility to route it in the direction we needed to reach the outdoor equipment.

Another mini-split installation with a unique solution!

Instead of automatically putting the indoor unit on an exterior wall (which would have been easier, but not what was best for the solution) we found a route that worked with the layout of the house.

Equipment placement shouldn't be based solely on what's easiest for the installer. We need to consider comfort, airflow, aesthetics, equipment requirements, and the physical structure of the home together.

What Happens After the Mini-Split Is Installed?

Our job isn't finished when the last piece of equipment is mounted.

Once installation is complete, we run tests on the system to make sure everything is operating properly.

Then we walk the homeowner through how to actually use their new system.

Depending on the equipment installed, that can include showing you how to use:

• Remote controls

• Thermostats

• System settings

• Apps or connected controls

Mini-splits give homeowners a lot of control over their comfort, particularly when multiple indoor units allow different areas of the home to be controlled independently.

We don't want to leave you staring at a new remote or app wondering what you're supposed to do with it.

Before we're finished, you should understand how to operate the system you're now relying on to heat and cool your home.

What Should I Do Before My Mini-Split Installation?

You usually don't need to do much.

The most important thing is making sure our crew can access every room receiving an indoor unit.

If furniture is blocking the wall where equipment will be installed, it may need to be moved temporarily. Otherwise, we'll work with you based on what is needed for your particular installation.

More importantly, you should already have a clear understanding of the installation plan.

Before work begins, you should know:

• Where your indoor units will be located

• Where your outdoor condenser or condensers will be located

• How the system will serve the different areas of your home

• Where visible refrigerant lines will need to run

• Approximately how long your installation should take

  
  

If something unusual about your home's layout affects the installation, that should be discussed with you too.

A Good Mini-Split Installation Is About More Than the Equipment

The mini-split itself is only one part of the equation.

Where the equipment is placed, how it's sized, the direction of the airflow, how the refrigerant lines are routed, and how the outdoor equipment is positioned can all affect the finished system.

That's why we take the time to plan each installation around the individual home.

At American Air Heating & Cooling, we work with homeowners throughout Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Greene, & Saratoga Counties design mini-split systems based on the way their homes are actually built and the way they want to use them.

By the time we're done planning, you should know exactly what we're installing and what it's going to look like.

And by the time we leave, you should know how to use it.

Because a mini-split installation shouldn't leave you with surprises. It should leave you with a system designed specifically to make your home more comfortable.