The popularity of ductless mini splits is growing, and if you’ve got one of these in your home, you can take steps to improve its heating output for those occasional cold days in the Los Angeles region. Mini splits are heat pumps and as such, their ability to heat your home as temperatures drop to the mid-30s and lower decreases, as well.
These tips can help boost the heating capacity of the mini split:
- Increase the energy efficiency of the space that the mini split conditions. Adequate insulation and sealing air leaks lowers the heating load.
- Maintain the mini split by keeping the air filter clean and having it professionally serviced once a year. Cleaning and adjusting the system improves its ability to heat.
- Placing the air handler about 18 inches off the floor will provide more heat in the livable space. Since heat rises, it’ll warm the room as it heads toward the ceiling. If your mini split’s air handler hangs from a wall, putting in a ceiling fan with a reversing switch will bring down the warmed air from the ceiling and increase the temperature as the air moves toward the floor.
- You’ll get more heat from ductless mini splits if the air handler and the outdoor condenser are 15 feet or fewer apart. The refrigerant can lose thermal energy as it flows from the compressor through the conduit toward the air handler.
- Winter is the rainy season in the LA area and if you build a waterproof cover over the top of the condenser, it’ll be able to better warm the refrigerant. You’ll have to allow enough air space between the top of the condenser and the cover, however, so the air has plenty of room to circulate.
- Resist turning down the thermostat on exceptionally cold nights to avoid having the auxiliary heating element turn on when you want to warm the space the following day.
To learn more about heating with ductless mini splits during cold weather, contact Around the Clock Heating and Air Conditioning. We’ve provided trusted HVAC service for greater LA since 1967.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Los Angeles, North Hollywood and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ductless mini splits and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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