How mini split heat pumps work in a LEED or Passive House high efficiency zero net energy home - video

When looking for a heat pump for a home, we would recommend checking the specs page on whatever heat pump brand you are looking into, but first make a short list by eliminating any that don’t carry an ENERGY STAR certification. WE have used a couple of different brands, here is our heat pump installation video that may help you choose –

How heat pumps work in LEED or Passive House high-efficiency zero net energy homes - video

In our 2015 demo house build  (the LEED V4  Platinum Edelweiss House) we used the Mitsubishi Mr. Slim Mini-split heat pump as seen in the video on that link above, and we were really happy with it. That one is not ducted, and it has an infrared sensor that tracks occupants to provide additional heating and cooling comfort by directing itself towards you when you are in the room.  

Our most recent build is a LEED Platinum prefab kit home with a solar air heated floor to provide most of the heat, and we included a ductless heat pump on the second floor.  We used the CS11M model from Direct Air. Both of those manufacturers have 24k BTU models, so you really can’t go wrong with either. Heat pumps are the most efficient heating system, and performance is improving all the time. If you find another manufacturer or model you like better, please let us know about it! 

The radiant floor is heated with an electric boiler, it is a separate system than the heat pump. The intention of the heated floor is primary to ensure comfort and happy feet, the air-source heat pump is far more efficient and so we rely primarily on that to heat the air of the home.

The domestic hot water is a heat pump as well, we used an AO Smith air-to-water hybrid heat pump. The water heater sucks in the air from the home (which with the heat pump is generated more efficiently and affordably than by the floor) and so it in turn transfers that ‘efficiency’ to the water heater.

An even greater benefit is in the summer months as the water heater in effect acts to cool the air in the house, so much so that most summers the air-source heat pump is actually never operated for cooling.

A greater explanation can be found on the following pages

• LEED Platinum Edelweiss House heating strategy
• Air-source and water-source heat pumps working in tandem