Ductless mini-split air-conditioners have surged in popularity, with one study now pegging their domestic market share at over 40 percent compared to larger-scale HVAC units. In Asia and Europe, they're even more dominant - because apparently those continents figured out that you don't need a furnace the size of a Smart car to cool a bedroom.
Mini-splits are smaller, easier to install, cheaper, and quieter than traditional HVAC systems. Many are sold at big-box stores and online, and adventurous DIYers can install one without professional help - provided they have the required electrical connections. (Some run on 115 volts; others need 220-volt wiring, which means a call to an electrician and possibly a quiet prayer.) They're also increasingly outfitted with smart features like mobile app support, tricks you can't do on HVAC units without a fancy thermostat that costs more than the mini-split itself.
Della invited us to test its Optima 048-TP-12K1V-23S-IN mini-split, a mouthful that offers 12,000 BTU of cooling and 12,400 BTU of heating capacity. Maximum power draw is 960 watts from a 115-volt circuit, and it's rated to cover 550 square feet - or one small room, unless you live in a Manhattan studio, in which case it might cover your entire existence. The manufacturer offered to cover professional installation, and we were eager for the help. Our home had a fairly recent-model mini-split installed by the previous owners, clearly picked up at Costco and set up with the confidence of someone who also thinks they can plumb a toilet. That unit died within two years of our moving in, likely due to installation mistakes, according to the professionals who removed it. Surprise: DIY sometimes stands for "Disaster, Indeed, Yikes."
Like most mini-splits, Della's product arrived in three boxes: the indoor air handler, the outdoor compressor, and the conduit connecting them (including refrigerant lines, drain lines, and electrical wiring). Inside, the air handler mounts to a metal bracket; a template in the box directs installers where to attach it and where to drill the conduit hole. If only life came with templates for everything.
While the Della Optima costs only $921 (with coupon on Amazon), professional installation will set you back considerably more than the hardware: a local provider in Austin quoted $3,600 for the work. That's right - the installation costs nearly four times the unit itself. But at least you won't have to learn what a refrigerant line looks like after it's been kinked by an overzealous homeowner.
On installation day, a crew of two spent about five hours removing the old mini-split and installing the new one - a process largely unremarkable except for the need to drill a new conduit hole, since the old unit's hole was in a slightly different spot. Because of course it was.