This thread is going to be about installing minisplits in the bedrooms of my house. As usual, it will be a combination of diary, notes to self, cries for help, and endless entertainment for those of you who actually know how to do things. I’ll put “????” on things that I’d especially like thoughts about.
The units are 2X Gree 18,000 BTU outdoor heat pump/compressor, each with 2X Gree 9,000 BTU indoor air handler/ condensor. These are R32 units, bought shortly after tariffs announced, they were sadly a fair bit more expensive than if I’d done this a year ago.
One outdoor unit will serve the two bedrooms on the north side of the house (master on NE corner, and daughter’s on NW corner; daughter’s bedroom has the attached former sleeping porch that I mentioned in another thread). The other outdoor unit will serve the two bedrooms on the south side of the house (son’s on SW corner, and spare/guest on SE corner).
The north side of the house isn’t seen much and the south side faces the garage and has lots of “stuff” on it already (electrical service, vent fan, etc), so these seem like good places, aesthetically, to place the outdoor units. The east side is the front of the house, and the west faces the backyard, neither have good locations for (unattractive) outdoor units.
Here’s the north side. This looks pretty straightforward (famous last words). I’m thinking of hanging the outdoor unit on the lowest part of the siding, to keep it above vegetation. Lines will run straight up the wall then do a “T” to the bedrooms.
Here’s the south side. This seems slightly more complicated. The walkway between house and garage (garage is at my back when taking the photo) is narrow (4’?) so I don’t want the outdoor unit taking up space at walking level. Instead I’m thinking of hanging the outdoor unit up higher, maybe below the kitchen vent hood exhaust fan you see. It will be an eyesore, but that side of the house is already covered with ugly. It will also be in direct sun, and I don’t know if that is a problem???? Lines will have a more complicated path, like a jog in the vertical leg then a wide “T” top because there is a bathroom between the bedrooms. I am unhappy about doing more than the minimum while that high on a ladder, but I did get a lot of ladder time when stripping the siding in 2023, and I still have the Baker scaffold that I can use when installing the outdoor unit .
I’m happy to see the house paint is holding up. I’ll do a bit of touch-up while “in there”.
Now, how to cover up the lines and wires on the outside on the house? I don’t like the look of the white plastic line channels that you can buy, and would at minimum have to paint them. I’m thinking of fastening the lines directly to the siding, then having a local sheet metal shop make me simple folded-metal covers from sheet copper, with flanges that I can just nail or screw to the siding. Some caulk and I figure that will be weather tight enough, look good, weather to an obtrusive brown, and be a little bit classy. Good / bad idea ????