ductless mini split for heating

[jmsmith]

I've been thinking about a Sanyo 24,200 BTU Heat Pump Air Conditioner, Item# 24KHS72, as a heater for the downstairs of my 100 year old 2 story 2,000 sq. foot house in north central PA. The heat now is gas fired hot water baseboard and a 36,000 btu gas vent less wall heater that I put in last January to save money on the gas bill.

The 36,000 btu vent less heater heated the house, the upstairs too with unused rooms doors closed, well enough until the temperature got below 10-15 degrees when I'd start the upstairs zone of the baseboard heat system.

I've been told that the ductless mini splits are 2-3 times as efficient as other a/c or heat sources because of inverters, electric valve, etc. use in them. Is that true?

An idea I had for the installation of a Sanyo 24,200 BTU Heat Pump Air Conditioner in my house is to put the outside unit in the cellar where the temperature is in the low 50s in the winter so that the cold air from the unit running in heat mode would further cool parts of the cellar for food storage as a root cellar while keeping the air circulating through the outside unit higher than ambient when it is colder outside than in the cellar. The cellar is over 1000 sq/ft and has 6 windows as well as outside doors. Is this a dumb idea? Thanks for your help.

 

[triple D]

These systems in the winter, or heating mode, build up ice on fins in unit. When it gets to a certain point, the flow reverses, causing all the ice to melt and blow off rapidly as steam. This would moisten and mold your entire basement. I would go plan b, if there is one. Good luck.....

 

[glennjanie]

Welcome JMSmith:
Yes, the Sanyo unit is one of the very best. Your idea of putting the condenser unit in the cellar is a good one and I would not expect it to ever ice up indoors like that. Like you said, it will also give the condenser unit a better ambient temperature to work with, which can only make it more efficient.
You have come upon a principle of HVAC that many who work on them never knows; you are simply moving heat from one area to another.
Glenn

 

[jmsmith]

I thought the ductless heat pump would cost less to run than the vent free heater and have a reasonable pay back time, but the operation costs work out to be within dollars per heating month of being the same best case.

Thanks to triple D and glennjanie for reading my idea and their thoughts.