Ductless minisplit and PV question
Can someone explain to me quickly and simply the difference between Mitsubishi and Samsung equipment? I ask because two Mitsubishi dealers determined separately that the only way I could cool my summer house Two attic bedrroms separated about 22 feet by open area Would be with two compressors. I wonder if Samsung equipment would have the same requirement.
also I have a question about solar panels. I have a very large roof area which faces south and so I could get a lot of heat to winterize. House is a perfectly compact design but it has a lot of windows and very little insulation. So which contractor could estimate impact of solar heat on me hankcal,heat requirements.
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I'm not sure your question can be answered with the conditions you placed on it. I will go out on a limb and say that the difference between Mitsubishi and Samsung minisplits of similar rating is not going to be a factor in how many are required to cool a particular area.
It's difficult to speculate why these two dealers made this assertion without knowing anything about the house. I wouldn't necessarily assume they know what they're talking about, and the fact that two of them said the same thing doesn't mean much either. Dealers and installers are notorious for making bad recommendations, unfortunately.
I don't really understand what you're saying about solar panels, windows, "heat to winterize" and "hankcal, heat requirements". Some typos in there, maybe? Short answer is that the same person can answer both your questions: an HVAC designer. A longer answer is that solar irradiance is very low in the winter, so using solar panels to heat your poorly insulated, highly fenestrated house isn't likely to be a practical solution. What climate zone you're in will make a big difference, however.
Gail,
If your house has "very little insulation," then an investment in solar thermal panels (intended to help you heat your house) would be a waste of money. What you want is air sealing work and insulation improvements. With wise investments in air sealing and insulation, you'll actually see significant energy savings and comfort improvements -- while an investment in expensive solar thermal panels will yield few benefits.