Question for AKHOTD. Mini-splits -yea or nay?

[Zolotisty]

Lightning took out 1 of my HVAC units. The local company that I have been dealing with for 25+ years gave me a quote of ~12k to replace it with a Carrier Infinity 22 SEER unit. Seems high to me, considering he says he will not have to replace the existing duct work. The original owner that I worked with has died and his grandson is now running the business. Trusted the old man , the new owner has really increased the repair costs in the past couple of years. I am shopping around with some other HVAC folks as we speak. 

I have a friend that has had good luck with mini-splits. My daughter has a friend in real estate that says min-splits negatively affect the market value of my house. 

I will be looking to sell in the next couple of years. Since. my wife died, there is not much sense to me living in a 3600 square ft. house by myself. Really looking to downsize. Trying to determine if an investment into a 12k HVAC unit makes sense in the short term, when I can get 3 22 SEER mini-splits for 7k that will heat/cool the same space.

TIA.

[Toasty B]

I call em spinners, but hell yeah

[Rogasingingdawg]

The mini splits work just fine, but my son in real estate says they are not a good selling point a will reduce the price you get for the home.

[FeralDawg]

YES!!!! My brother has a 3 car garage that he emptied and turned into a rental. He put a Mr. Cool minisplit in and not only has it been there for years
but at some point it got something in it that caused its motor to tear up ( I think his son was cleaning all his rod and reel and fishing stuff right outside that part of the building).
Mt Cool sent him a brand new motor gratis and pronto. I was impressed with how quiet it was and how damn cold it got that huge open space. I just recommended it to a friend of mine who has a woodworking shop.

[DawgWood]

Mini splits are not good for resale. They are just a glorified window unit to some buyers.

[McDonoughDawg]

I like them, they have their place for sure..

[Concourse E]

I don't think that quote is wildly off the mark, but if I was in your shoes, I'd try to make it to fall and then get quotes from everyone you can think of. Just economics and logic says the best time to buy a seasonal product is after the season is over. They have capacity, they have inventory they don't want to store over the winter, and if you aren't picky about the precise make and model, you can probably find a bargain.

Air conditioners are like TVs - there are really only about three manufacturers but they make some off label stuff. We got a Bryant unit about a decade ago when a lightening bolt took out our old unit, and we were very pleased with it. The guy told me it was made by Carrier (or maybe it was Trane), and the only difference was the label.

[Punkin14]

Just my two cents.. I’m building a 1 1/2 story on my farm this fall.. upstairs is 800 sq ft to be finished later.  I’ll put a mini split up there.. it’ll be finished as one huge room with a full bath for my girls and hopefully grandkids one day.. downstairs will have central AC.  Mini splits work very well, I have one in my barn.

[Shadrach]

If you're selling in two years why go that high on SEER? Is it cheap to jump from 16 to 22? I would think it's not.

[Beatledawg]

Weird, just dropped 14 grand on a new HVAC unit. It is very nice but it should be. I feel for ya. Casino is happy, me mesh. Good luck, ain't nothing worth the cost anymore, it seems,.