Hi GBA,

We have a single story 1200 sq/ft home in Massachusetts with an oil fired boiler for hot potable water and hot water cast iron radiators.

We are re-insulating 2×4 walls with R19 Rockwool, adding attic baffles, adding 2 layers of r23 Rockwool in the attic, air sealing (as best as possible) and replacing windows. This is being done room by room so some rooms still have older windows.

I was considering a pellet or wood stove to supplement the heating but believe these are best used when temperatures fall below 40F.

In another post Dana Dorsett mentioned the idea of considering a mini split. A buddy of mine recently installed one and I’m beginning to think the mini split might offer more benefits than the pellet or wood stove. The main reason I’m leaning this way is because we don’t want/need the house to be +90F in the late fall, winter and early spring like some friends of mine have. Would I like +90F? Of course but it seems a bit wasteful.

The goal: We’re aiming for relative temperatures, not sweating hot in winter or ice cold in summer.
– About 72F in the fall and Spring
– Maybe up to 72F in the winter
– Less than 78F in the peak summer

I am planning to perform the majority of the install. The heat pump would be installed along a north facing wall, the indoor unit adjacent to the pump, and duct work attached to the basement ceiling with floor registrars. Does anyone have recommendations for a single zone heat pump and indoor unit?

Note, registrars 1-3 in the bedrooms and bath are a priority for heat, and registrars 4-6 are a nice to have for cooling.

Option 1: Mr Cool
https://hvacdirect.com/mrcool-universal-24-000-btu-heat-pump-mdu18024.html

Option 2: Goodman
https://hvacdirect.com/2-5-ton-14-seer-goodman-heat-pump-system-id31730.html

Option 3. LG
https://www.ecomfort.com/LG-LD187HHV4/p110630.html

Option 3: Fujitsu
https://www.ecomfort.com/Fujitsu-18RLFCD/p65843.html

Option 3: Mitsubishi
https://www.ecomfort.com/Mitsubishi-SE-KD18NA.TH/p96644.html