Mini-spit location

[tagal4]

I got a mini-split heat pump/air conditioner to replace a large whole house window AC unit that was driving me nuts, and I'm trying to figure out the best place to put it in my small (less than 900 sq ft) two bedroom house. Basically I'm down to two possible locations where I have the wall space for the wide air handler that mounts inside. One location would be the north wall in the living room: this would get it out of the sun but the outside part of it would be visible from the street (and the parts of mini-splits that go outdoors are a bit of an eyesore IMO), and also it would be somewhat in the way as I have a narrow driveway that runs only about 2' from the house. I used to have my window unit in a window on that wall and I don't know how many times I bumped my head and shoulders on it. I finally moved it to an east window in my dining room (and sacrificed the view out of the window).

The other location would be in my back bedroom - which is actually my home office now - on the east wall. This would put the outside part of it on the back of my house which I prefer, but it would get a little sun in the late morning/noon hour and also I have some concern about how well the cool air from it would make it to the north side of the house since the air would have to go thru the bedroom's doorway and make a right thru the opening between my hallway and living room. To make it to the kitchen it would have to go even further.

Maybe it's inevitable it you are trying to cool your whole house with one unit that helping the air flow with a fan is going to be necessary, and I might need one in either scenario. I was just curious what folks here would have to say about which location for the mini-split would be better.

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[joecaption]

I'd want it in the main living area.
Depending on the layout you may need two inside units.
The outside unit can be mounted up on the wall to get it out of the way.

 

[tagal4]

I'd want it in the main living area.
Depending on the layout you may need two inside units.
The outside unit can be mounted up on the wall to get it out of the way.

The bedrooms are both on the south side of my house and with my old 18,000 btu window unit it was always hard to keep them cool in the summer, both with it in the window on the north wall of the living room and then when I moved it to the east wall of the dining room window. I was hoping maybe the mini-splits have better reach since their air handlers sit so high up on the wall. Window AC units IMO are already starting out in a bad spot because they are only a few feet off of the floor, and the floor is right where cool air likes to go.

The funny thing about mini-splits is a 9000 btu heat pump/AC mini-split is about the same cost as an 18,000 btu one. I think ideally I would want two separate 9000 btu mini-splits like you said rather than one 18,000 btu ms, but it's hard to know that for sure without actually having one (or two) set up. I took a gamble on only getting one 18,000 btu mini split because of the cost savings, but maybe that wasn't what i should have done.