Should You Buy a Mini Split System in Sacramento?

Working primarily with sellers, I had not heard much about whether buyers should buy a mini split system in Sacramento. Why would I? Probably because most of the homes that I sell in Sacramento have central air conditioning systems already installed. Understandably, it is super difficult to be comfortable during our hot Sacramento summers without air conditioning.

I know, I know, back in caveman days we didn’t have AC when I was growing up. We danced through the sprinklers fully clothed or went to the lake to go swimming. Only rich people and Dayton’s department store on 7th and Nicollet could afford the luxury of central air.

But today, we have alternatives to central air: the mini-split system, also called ductless AC.

Staying cool was a major concern 16 years ago when I moved from Minneapolis to Sacramento. We turned on our AC in Minneapolis for 2 weeks out of any given summer. Having to turn on AC in the morning and use electricity all day until 6 or 7 PM to cool the house sounded really foreign to me. I interviewed a bunch of people, asking what number they set the temperature at and how much it costs. Concerned it would be $500 a month.

Of course, now I’m used to it. We pretty much leave our thermostat set at 78. But I can see how home buyers purchasing a home without central AC might worry about summer heat in Sacramento, because triple digit heat is common. Not to mention, every so often I sell an older bungalow or Victorian without AC. Whether buyers should buy a mini split system in Sacramento depends on the size of the home and how much a buyer wants to spend, among other factors.

Although I haven’t verified it, I’ve heard you can get a mini split system installed in Sacramento for about $4,500, parts and labor. However, I can tell you that it works well because we just installed a mini split system, a 36,000 btu Daikin, at our house in Hawaii. It’s a small house with vaults and an open floor plan. I was a bit worried that the third bedroom would not cool off, but it’s OK.

If you’re wondering if there are good reasons to buy a mini split system in Sacramento, I can tell you first hand the answer is yes. We placed our unit on the wall by the TV. The vents oscillate to direct air or it can blow directly. It is quiet, whisper quiet. There is a super-power button to instantly cool if you walk into a hot house. You can set it to work on auto or various speeds. And it is more efficient, uses less electricity.

We replaced 3 ECM motors over the past 18 months. In fact, I’ve been without AC in Hawaii for the past two weeks. I found out why after my horrible day, a time when life throws curveballs all in one day, one after another. Our previous AC guy gave us back our money. Because he knew the ductwork was screwed up. It’s like the installers got drunk, pitched the unit into the attic and threw duckwork at it. No elbows. No sharp turns. No cohesive setup.

Our choices were tear out a wall, remove all the ductwork and buy a new AC system or buy a mini split system. The Daikin mini split system also comes with a 12-year warranty. It seems slightly better than the Fugitsu and Mitsubishi. Look at that footprint of the compressor in the yard. The old compressor was twice as tall and three times as wide. This system reminds me of an old desktop computer. Now, the unit is not visible over the fence or from the street.

When I think back to my trip to Vanuatu, I realize I had mini split systems in the house I rented there. You can buy dual systems and put smaller units on the walls in closed rooms for homes without an open floor plan. That way you run the unit only in the rooms you use. But it’s a far cry from the days of window AC units. Those things rattle, shake, are noisy and run up an electric bill.

A mini split system is more like central AC except cheaper, more dependable, more efficient and quieter. What’s not to like?