This topic comes up over and over again for us. Since Command Comfort led the way in 2015 to become Orange Counties number 1 installation and service company for ductless mini-splits, we’ve learned how to address this topic of installing your own ductless system. I hope this short article helps you answer that question.
First question to ask yourself is… “is it worth it financially?”. Financially it may seem so upfront as you can buy the equipment for a single zone installation online for a fraction of what it would cost for a professional installation. For instance, you might be able to buy a single zone system for a bedroom for as low as $1,200 but you’d pay about 3 times that for an expert installation company like Command Comfort to install a similar mini-split in your bedroom. However, you will still need to purchase several items such as a refrigerant line set, condenser pad, fusible disconnect, breaker, control cable, electrical conduit and many other miscellaneous items. Those materials can cost hundreds if not close to another thousand dollars. Then you need tools for the job. You’ll need a good set of refrigerant gauges, a digital scale, probably a tank of refrigerant, a vacuum pump, flare block set, torque wrenches and much more. And those are just the specific tools required for a ductless mini-split installation which alone can easily cost another thousand dollars. So there you are with about $3,200 in costs, much of which are for one-time use items (tools) and you’re still going to need some help to install this yourself.
Now, the next question is… “is it safe to install my own ductless mini-split?”. Probably not is the answer. Unless you have actual HVAC installation & high voltage electrical training and experience, your really putting yourself out there. Maybe you can rip your car apart and put it back together. That’s great. But do you know how to handle refrigerant pressures of 500+ psi (pounds per square inch)? Do you know how to safely handle 220v circuits? And unless you are EPA certified, you are not technically allowed to touch this project anyways.
So if you can have a top of the line Mitsubishi Electric ductless mini-split system installed by Command Comfort with a lifetime warranty on the installation for only $4 – $5,000 OR spend at least $3,200 to do it yourself, risking your safety and sanity. Is that extra money worth it? I guess ultimately that is a question only you can answer. But we think some things are best left to the professionals and this is one of them. A properly installed ductless mini-split system will perform better, last longer and provide you years and years of lasting comfort and low energy bills. An improperly installed one is no fun to say the least.
If you’d like to learn more or simply discuss. We’d be happy to talk anytime. We can even come to your home and go over all the options and then let you decide what makes the most sense for you.