Quite a long and pretty good description but I was aware of all that from prior experience and reading up on it. I didn’t say the compressor ran backwards but maybe I was not clear of what was going backwards from the cooling mode.
No doubt it is a complex system and I don’t have much faith Sense will ever detect all of it. Same goes for my Fridge, Washer and Dryer. All of which are modern and have variable speeds and processors. Sense would do well for someone into vintage HVAC and appliances.
It would just nice if my top two energy users were not “always on” and “other”
They account for 60-70% of all the energy use that Sense sees.
Actually the Mini-split system is a distant 4th place after the space heater
There is no such thing as an energy efficient electric space heater. 1500watts might get you 4,500-5,000 btu, the SEER rating of such would be like negative 3. Your mini split system is somewhere in the 20+ SEER and something in the 2200 watts could get you 36,000 btu…
If I had that mini-split system at the house I would ban an such usage of a space heater until it was in the single digits outside (F)
Really getting off topic here but I will say. No Doubt Space heaters are a last resort. Very inefficient!
This being South Texas coats are broke out when it drops below 70, lol. Unfortunately single digit winters are becoming WAY too common here now.
This house is old and oddly built. Won’t go into details but options are very limited. My mini-split system serves living room, dining and kitchen areas only. It replaced a very old all in one outdoor York HVAC gas heat system. Even all the ducting was outside and only on external walls.
Updates are challenging, expensive and slow going. Eventually once extensive rewiring is done efficient mini-splits will be added to other areas.
I don’t know you you have a crawspace or attic. But designing a duct/ gas furnace is pretty simple if your single level. Return in the middle, vents on the outside perimeter … normally above / below windows (gets rid of cold/hot spots)… Air in (CFM) should be = air out (CFM). Meaning you return vent(s) should be enough to supply your vents. Metal duct work is better than flex, but I think a solid main trunk with flex to vents is fine. Following those rules should make a house evenly heated. Could even use just the blower to circulate the cooling throughout the house.
I’m my area the HVAC installers markup is ridiculous. I can literally walk-in and buy any brand of a new 90%+ single stage 75k btu gas furnace for $700 or less at a dozen different hvac sellers in town.
It is not a financial or practical solution. It could be done but just not worth the cost.
No crawlspace . On slab
Low pitch roof. average height in attic about 18-20" and that’s only straight down the middle.
No access from one end of house to the other in attic. “Cathedral ceilings”
Walls are concrete and stucco.
No Gas or 240V electrical on that end of house. It would have to go around the house outside and be direct buried. minimum 100-150 feet
No central area available inside for an air handler/heater. It would require a bedroom remodel and stealing space. Bedroom returns are not ideal. Not to mention breaching the slab to run a drain.
Presently there are zero vents and ducts in this house.
Should I go on? The cost to prepare the house for a HVAC would far exceed the cost of the HVAC itself.
I’d still need to run 240V but mini-splits are a much easier and more viable solution.