HRV layout and minisplit location
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| Posted in General Questions on
i was hoping i could get some advice on where to locate hrv diffusers and both the interior and exterior units of a ductless mini-split air source heat pump. i hope to attach a drawing to this post. the kitchen wall faces due south and the main entrance and driveway are to the north. the house is a new build, a little over 600 sq’, and measures roughly 22’x28′. the design temperature is -32 celsius and the mini-split would be facilitated by electric baseboards. thanks!
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Replies
Eric,
You didn't provide a heat loss calculation, but it's reasonable to assume that you can heat this house with a single ductless minisplit unit. I would put the unit on the west wall of the dining room, aimed so that it will blow warm air toward the kitchen.
If you want to include some electric resistance baseboard heat for backup, put it in the bedroom.
The outdoor unit can be installed anywhere outdoors where it is unobtrusive. It's better to put it on the gable end of the house, so that it won't be buried by snow. Raise the unit above grade to minimize the chore of snow removal.
Eric,
When it comes to installing an HRV, the standard advice is to supply fresh air to the living room and bedrooms, and to pull exhaust air from the bathroom and sometimes the kitchen (but never from the range hood).
However, some designers of energy-efficient homes are experimenting with different ducting methods. For more information, see A New Way to Duct HRVs.
It shouldn't be hard with such a small house, but make sure the refrigerant pipe length between the indoor and outdoor units does not exceed the maximum standard length as given in the mfr's specs without having to add extra refrigerant charge.
martin, is it a bad idea supply air to the bedroom closet with a louvered door?
john, is it more efficient the shorter the lines are?
Erik,
Q. "Is it a bad idea supply air to the bedroom closet with a louvered door?"
A. No -- as long as everything you store in the closet smells OK.