All Forum Posts by: Amy Hu

@Noah Jones

There are several heat-pump options - both ductless and centrally ducted - which function down to -25C (-13F) and a couple which claim to operate to -30C (-22F).   Now, down at those temperatures, your COP will be approaching 1.

Here where we have cold winters, code requires an ancillary heat source - electric baseboard heaters are most commonly used - to supplement the heat pump in the dead of winter (we frequently get 2-3 weeks where temperatures are below -20C).

In a warmer climates, even if code requires you to put in ancillary heat, you should never have to use it.

http://www.daikinac.com/content/assets/DOC/Submitt...

If you go with daikin, I would recommend their “enhanced capacity” line. They’re a little more spendy, but they’ll operate at 100% efficiency down to 5 degrees ambient outdoor temp.

If you go with standard capacity mini splits, I would keep the cadet heaters as auxiliary heat. Also check your County code.

@Presley Reeves 

My message will differ a little from Steve Troth.  While there are high efficiency natural gas (94-96 AFUE) and oil (85 - 88% AFUE) boilers available, they will not match the efficiency of a modern ducted or ductless heat pump.  If there is a sufficient discrepancy between the cost of fuels (gas or oil versus electricity), a boiler may be more cost effective during the heating season (but unlikely).

Two other advantages of ductless heat pumps that a central boiler cannot deliver are:

a) air conditioning (chillers and hydronic baseboards are simply not the same).

b) placement of the heating/cooling costs in the hands of the tenants.

That said you need to look at the layout of the individual units to determine if they are conducive to being heated with a single ductless heat pump.  They may still be a need for auxiliary heat (electric baseboards) in bedrooms - or all areas - either from a regulatory or practical position.

Another thing to consider are improvements to the building envelope - air sealing, insulation, windows, doors, etc - will have a bigger impact on building performance than changing out the type of HVAC.

We have removed a central HVAC in two smaller buildings (4 & 6 units) and replaced it with ductless split and auxiliary electric baseboard and are pleased with the results.   The external units were mounted 6-8' off the ground - more so to keep small fingers away from harm then out of a concern for theft.

We are presently dancing on a larger building which was constructed during the 1980s at the height of electric baseboard madness.  Our plans for this building would see a ductless heat pump installed in each unit as they are renovated.

The FIRST priority is to take possession of the property and get it rented to stop the bleeding 

Once the property is rented and you have an idea of the total amount of your loss. Expenses minus their deposit. Then you can pursue in small claims court or put a deficiency on their credit report 

They need to pay price for what they did.

I would advise you continue to small claims court. You never know when a individual may want to get their life on track and will need to get the judgement cleared from their records. I have had them come back years later wanting to pay me so they could buy a home or get a car loan.

Small claims court is inexpensive and very simple. Every landlord should make it a policy to not only evict bad tenants but also follow through with small claims. If they owe money and do not pay they are criminals in my book and I treat them accordingly.

To simply decide it will not pay off and therefor is not worth seeking justice is a defeatist attitude. That is a major part of the problem in our society. Criminals should never be allowed off scott free.