Are you looking to have a mini split installed in your home? One of the things that we have to go through when we are looking to install many splits for customers is going through a list of things that we want to make sure they understand and go through with them before they decide on the location of where the indoor unit is. And so in this video we're going to go through a list of things that you need to think about a list of things you need to know before you select that location. Now you might say what is the big deal? Why can't I just install it anywhere? Why can't I just put it where I want it? We're going to go through a few things that you need to think about and you may find out that where you were thinking about installing that unit isn't necessarily the best location in the grand scheme of things. Now let me say before we go through this entire list that this list is kind of like suggestions if you will, they're not Necessities It's just some of these things that if you were to do it one way versus another, you could save a lot of time or headaches or problems down the road road.

So again, these aren't necessarily mandatory rules, but they're good kind of rule of thumb rules if you will. And the last thing I'll say about this list is most of these apply to wall mount Mini Splits But that doesn't mean that you can't go by some of these rules for other like floor mounts or ducted Mini Splits But for the most part we're going to just stick to talking about wall mounts. They're the most common anyway. And I think if you go through this list, even if you do a different type of mini split, this list will still help you with thinking about some of these things.

So let's dive into this number one. The first thing that I normally vote for if I get a vote, right? I don't always get a vote in this situation. The homeowner wants what they want. But if I get a vote what I'll sometimes ask them is hey, let's install it on an exterior wall.

Why have a pump installed if you don't have to, right? if you install it on an exterior wall, those line sets will shoot right out the outside of that wall. We'll be able to encase them in slim duct or some sort of encasement and hide them to make them look good, but you're getting all of that just automatically outside the drain. Everything is immediately going to go outside and it eliminates a lot of issues or problems that you could have such as that pump or such as servicing that unit, maybe replacing line sets. Let's say, the system's leaking refrigerant and someone has installed them on an interior wall and they're not exposed.

well. All of that's got to be opened up to even inspect them and see why it's leaking. whereas if you were to install that system on an exterior wall, you'll be able to get to everything. Just pop that slim duct loose, see what's going on, and be able to get that system repaired.

Next, let's talk about if you did have to install a pump for one reason or another. So if you did install it on, say, an interior wall, or you had to install it in some manner where the drain had to go uphill for one reason or another. If you do have to install a pump, there are things you just want to keep in mind. You want to think about having to service that pump.

You want to think about maybe having to replace that pump. Maybe it's going to be years down the road, but you want to be mindful of those sorts of things. That pump is a another thing on that system. Maybe you had to have it for one reason or another, but it is still yet another thing that could fail.

So just keep that in mind when you're selecting a location of the unit itself. Next, let's talk about the line sets or the communication wire. Now, this may seem like common sense, but you wouldn't believe I would say at least half of the jobs that I go on. I Have to explain to the homeowner.

Hey, we've got to figure out how to physically get line sets from the outdoor unit to where you're selecting this location. So just realize that if you pick some wall that the outdoor units over here and the indoor units over there, they're on each side of the room. Or there's some other obstacle. we have to physically actually get those line sets and commune communication wire from one unit to the other.

So be mindful of that when you're selecting the locations for these items. Again, might seem like common sense, but it is something that folks will. Overlook Next, let's talk about electric. You've got to get electric to these units somehow.

Now with most Mini Splits You're going to run your line voltage wiring from the panel. You know, usually that's going to be an electrician, they're going to install the electric. It's going to go to the outdoor unit and then that communication wire actually Powers the indoor unit. But in some cases, that's not the case.

Some of these systems, that, for one reason or another, you've got to get electric. Some of these Vrv or Vrf systems, you've got to get power to them as well. And that's something you want to be mindful of. You've now got to physically figure out how you're going to get power from one to the other.

Now, you may not necessarily have to figure that out maybe your electrician does, but it's something that you can be mindful of when you're selecting the location of some of these items. So now that we've talked about all the logistical type stuff, let's talk about the unit itself. Next, we want to go over how is that unit going to blow in the room and I've heard different philosophies. Some people will say if you're only going to have one mini split in a room, you want to put it in the middle of the room.

So they'll say if we've got this long skinny room, we're going to put it in the middle and that's the best place whereas other times I've heard some folks say that if you've got this long room, you're going to put it at one end or the other so you can blow into that room. I Think my answer to this is every house is different. just use a little. Common Sense Realize where you're going to install that system.

It's going to either blow the AC or the heat into that room in one way, shape or form and honestly, it's overlooked Again, we've had people just kind of want to slap it any old place and not realizing hey, it might make more sense to install it in this location or that location for better comfort and the next one. I Want to piggyback off of that and make sure you realize not only do you need to be mindful of the unit blowing into the room for Comfort but also be mindful on what that unit is actually blowing on. So in other words, you don't necessarily want it blowing on a window if you can help it. If you've got this unit that's going to blow very cold AC air and then hitting a window of some type I've seen some folks have like interior windows from one space or another, or for whatever reason something that could fog up or condensate.

You need to be mindful of that. When that unit is blowing on certain physical items, that's something you want to be mindful of. Another thing you might want to consider is the unit might be blowing on you if you install it in a manner or a location and it's going to be just directly blowing on you. That's something you might also want to keep in mind and maybe just select a different location entirely because of that fact.

I'm not saying that it's necessarily a bad thing in all cases that units blow on you, but in general, to have overall comfort of that room and have every nook and cranny of that room around the same temperature, we all know that that's kind of impossible, but pretty close, right? Be mindful of that when you're installing the unit, maybe you don't want it blowing directly on you or someone else. One example I can think of for that is we've seen people install them in bedrooms right above the bed, blowing directly onto the bed. and I think for some people, me included I might be okay with that cool air just dumping on me. but I think it's probably safe to say that most folks probably would not want that for overall Comfort they would not want that air just blowing directly on them.

Next let's talk about a big one, one that's overlooked all the time. This one is one that when we at Griffin air if someone else installs the system and we come behind them, we see this one missed all the time. And what I'm talking about is clearances or just wall space In general, when we install these systems, the instructions will actually call for certain amounts of clearance or space around the unit or for the unit itself And so when you open those instructions, it'll give you the dimensions of the unit, but it'll also say hey, the top needs to be this much distance from the ceiling or any other obstacles. The bottom needs this.

The sides need that, and the units require a certain amount of clearance in some cases to operate properly, but in other cases maybe there's other reasons. Maybe there's you know, some sort of operational reasons or safety reasons. who knows. when the instructions call for those clearances, it's probably a good idea to be mindful of that, and it may change the location of where you install the unit.

Next let's talk about another maybe common sense one, but it is sometimes missed and that is a lot of these units work by remote control. If you plan to say install it in your living room for example, and you know where everyone's going to kind of sit in the room and you don't want to have to get up and out of your seat every time you want to make a change. But then you install the unit in a manner where you can't just point the remote directly at it? That's something you need to be mindful of. Why not just install it in a location where if possible, you just point your remote at it, make your setting, and you're going back to what you were doing that day.

Be mindful of the remote controlling it and you needing a clear line of sight to that unit with the remote so that it can control it and make it operate properly. Next Maintenance This is one I see. missed all the time. Realize that unit should be maintained.

Someone is going to need to be able to get to that unit. What if something's wrong? What if you call me and you want me to repair it but I can't physically get to it? One example I can think of is I've seen folks come to the top of stairs and then install that unit way up high above the stairwell and then they'll say well yeah. When it was installed we had to put up scaffolding and we were building at the place and we had the scaffolding there. We installed the unit.

It was no problem. Well, now the scaffolding's gone. Now you've got this finished. Beautiful home and we've got to figure out a way to get to that unit to maintain it to clean the filter, which you should be doing periodically and installing that unit somewhere that you can't easily maintain it.

That's a big problem, so keep that in mind. Finally, let's talk about just simply installing the unit above something valuable. and I Remember a few years ago we went to a job site. Luckily it was not one we installed because had it been I think the homeowner might have wanted us to pay for something, but we had a unit that the drain had backed up and the unit itself had leaked and dripped onto this display of a sailboat that the homeowner had.

It was a beautiful model and according to him was worth a lot of money. I Don't know about those things, but it was certainly a nice looking piece and I believed him. Let's put it that way, and so you could maybe even argue that homeowners should be mindful of that, That you should be mindful of that. Obviously, you don't want that unit leaking on anything, but if you have something that you know you're going to put in a room something very valuable, something that would be a big big issue.

Maybe it's Priceless and not easily replaced. You probably want to be mindful of that when you're installing the system. so let me know what your thoughts are on this down in the comments section I'd love to hear about that. Did I miss one? Something to think about when you're installing the system? Please let us know if you like this video I Think you'll like this one even more.

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