Anybody here use Mini-Splits for HVAC?

[IndyGunworks]

also I just did the math for the insulation costs.

Slab= 60 4x8 sheets 4" thick is 3,480
wall1= 240 2x8 sheets 1.5" thick is 3,000
wall2= 120 4x8 sheets 2" thick is 3,600
wall3=12 8'x50' rolls 6" thick is 1,500 (this will give me enough left over material for 96 linear feet of 16" studded 8ft tall walls and then some) I would then use the left overs to insulate the walls around the bathrooms, the master bedroom, and the ceiling areas where plumbing is running through as sound dampeners)
attic option 1= 135 bags of blown cellulose for R 60 1,215
attic option 2= 57 bags of blown fiberglass for R 60 1,824

so 14,000 dollars for the insulation "package"

when its all said and done, and you remove the attic (not the best application for spray foam from my understanding) I don't think I could get the same R value of insulation with foam for anywhere near that price. for an R 36.5 of foam I would probably be triple the price. I would more than likely have a better air seal, but as long as I am meticulous during installation I think I can get very very close.

 

[IndyGunworks]

in the above, all the rigid foam was owens corning foamular.... probably the most costly, but long term is probably my best bet... I can knock 1,000 dollars off the cost of the slab insulation by going with some polyiso factory seconds from illinios if they are available at the time that I build. even so I am not sure the 1,000 saved is worth not going with the best of the best.

 

[churchmouse]

sounds like we are on the same page. It just took me 15 hours of research to fully understand what you were mentioning. I was a bit concerned about the extra cost of two outside units, but it sounds like its a marginal cost considering the extra efficiency I would get since the smaller units are more efficient. it also looks like the mitsubishi's have a low enough amperage draw that they could be ran off a battery bank at night. I don't know how much storage it would require but in that situation it would be to just keep the house above freezing. I am sure it would have to be at least a 12 battery bank, but those precise calculations are still several years from being needed. I just want to set myself up for success should that become a real possibility.

are we having lunch tomorrow?

Far as I know. Crbn has some chores to do at his church and will let me know when he can roll.

Get with Shibumiseeker about the requirements to run a system of a bank. He has the knowledge you seek young grasshopper.

 

[IndyGunworks]

If I tried right now to incorporate a detailed knowledge of solar into this project I really think my head would explode. If only someone would just give me a few hundred thousand dollars it would be a hell of a lot easier to build the house that I want. Trying to accomplish the goals that I have w/in the budget I have is no easy feat. Let alone not being in the business means I have to get full price quotes, THEN use my total materials needed to try and get the best bids. that means I need to have this thing planned out all the way down to the number of feet of wiring needed. I am getting there slowly, but its a very painstaking process.

I do plan on hitting shibumiseeker up once I have a more complete grasp on the house. I have already omitted the nicer roof pitch my wife wanted to make construction a bit quicker and more simple. I have omitted the garage.... it seems now the garage was a pipe dream all along, it just took getting some ACTUAL quotes and not speculation to realize it. I dream about insulation almost every night, and I am sure when I start getting into the nitty gritty about other aspects I will start dreaming about those as well.... oh well, I will be a better person because of it all.

 

[looney2ns]

what ton system do you have?

2.5 ton

 

[sig-guy]

I know you will be amazed but I am on board with this idea. It will fit his plans very well. Having seen the layout there was concern about duct work and getting good return. This will eliminate all of that and give good local area control.

Awesome!

I think he should rethink the foam insul-board and go with spray-foam. Infiltration is a killer! Seal that baby up and then insulate it and the heating and cooling loads will diminish to very little.

 

[churchmouse]

Awesome!

I think he should rethink the foam insul-board and go with spray-foam. Infiltration is a killer! Seal that baby up and then insulate it and the heating and cooling loads will diminish to very little.

The initial expense of the spray foam is a killer.
I agree....seal it up and live comfortably but the budget is tight......as always.

 

[ghitch75]

if you like cold air blown on you all winter and high repair cost then you will like HP's.....oh and too watch the foam you can get one to tight then they sweat.......ask my neighbor about that.....

oh and solar....only 13 percent sunshine in Indiana in the winter.....that's 13 days of every 100.....

 

[IndyGunworks]

if you like cold air blown on you all winter and high repair cost then you will like HP's.....oh and too watch the foam you can get one to tight then they sweat.......ask my neighbor about that.....

oh and solar....only 13 percent sunshine in Indiana in the winter.....that's 13 days of every 100.....

What would you suggest then?

 

[ghitch75]

i thought use was going to use spray foam.....sheet foam would be fine as it doesn't make a tight seal.....


in-floor radiant with straight a/c......will take right at 28,000bbtu's to heat 2400sqf

 

[IndyGunworks]

I am still considering spray foam, but so far the initial quotes have been coming in well out of reach. I will be using a heat recovery air exchanger no matter what I use because I am planning on this being TIGHT.

I really like the idea of in floor radiant, but I cannot really put my thumb down on a firm understanding, let alone figuring out the entire system to know what my costs would be and what sort of labor I would have to perform. Then the complexity of getting everything wired up. Every time I try and research that route I end up w/ more questions than when I started. All the vendors want to charge like 600 bucks to design the system and give me a materials list.

I agree that the radiant floor would be the most comfortable system however its also the most daunting.

 

[ghitch75]

air exchanger won't help sweating between the walls and roof......

for in floor give me a floor plan and i'll tell you what you need.......free of charge....

hardest part is getting all the air out of the system.......installing is the easy part.....

 

[churchmouse]

air exchanger won't help sweating between the walls and roof......

for in floor give me a floor plan and i'll tell you what you need.......free of charge....

hardest part is getting all the air out of the system.......installing is the easy part.....

Air bleed is easy if you put in a good high spot above the pump.

 

[ghitch75]

Air bleed is easy if you put in a good high spot above the pump.

yes but no make up water....never had any luck with air scopes or bleeder with sealed systems.....

 

[churchmouse]

yes but no make up water....never had any luck with air scopes or bleeder with sealed systems.....

I see your point. I have a way around that as well....

 

[ghitch75]

i take and put a ball valve between the supply and return and force the water threw one loop at a time and use a 3 gallon pressure tank.....what is your way?

 

[churchmouse]

i take and put a ball valve between the supply and return and force the water threw one loop at a time and use a 3 gallon pressure tank.....what is your way?

Same to a point. I put the solution in the same way but have a way of bleeding it out. You would have to see it.

 

[IndyGunworks]

grrrr.... you guys are talking jibberish.

Glitch, PM me an email address and I will get you a first floor print, second floor print, and truss print tomorrow.

Church, would you like the truss print as well? its not quite precise as I drew it with the joists being 2 foot on center instead of 16.... I drew it this way because I needed to see it drawn out and have something to send a few people to talk about some engineering issues I am having. once I figure that out I will draw it to scale 16 inch on centers.

 

[IndyGunworks]

also church, I have copies of the scale drawings now. I could bring you a set if they are needed, that way you don't have to go of the other plans I emailed you. (a slight change from that w/ the size of the master closet is all.

 

[churchmouse]

grrrr.... you guys are talking jibberish.

Glitch, PM me an email address and I will get you a first floor print, second floor print, and truss print tomorrow.

Church, would you like the truss print as well? its not quite precise as I drew it with the joists being 2 foot on center instead of 16.... I drew it this way because I needed to see it drawn out and have something to send a few people to talk about some engineering issues I am having. once I figure that out I will draw it to scale 16 inch on centers.

please.
Not trying to confuse you Indy. ghitch has a long history in the trade. It is service speak......