Mini-split and heat pump guides
Practical, independent guides to ductless mini-splits and heat pumps — for choosing a system, living with one, and working through a problem safely. Each guide names its primary sources and marks where a homeowner should stop and call a qualified technician.
Choose a system
Before a quote or a purchase, work out what your home actually needs and what a specific model can deliver.
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What size mini-split do you need?
Why floor area alone won’t size a system, and the load-calculation questions to take to an installer.
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What cold weather changes for a heat pump
How output shifts with outdoor temperature, why defrost is normal, and where backup heat is a design decision.
Use and care for it
Everyday operation and the owner care your manual actually permits — kept separate from work for a technician.
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A mini-split maintenance checklist
A printable record with a manual-defined interval, plus a clear line between owner care and service-only work.
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Mini-split dry mode: when to use it
How dry mode compares with cooling and a dedicated dehumidifier, read against your own temperature and humidity.
Investigate a problem
Safe observations you can make without tools or opening equipment — and the point where the honest next step is qualified service.
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Mini-split not heating? Start with safe checks
Settings and airflow checks a homeowner can make, and the boundary for do-it-yourself.
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Mini-split not cooling? Work through the safe checks
Mode, temperature and visible airflow — plus what to tell a technician if it isn’t resolved.
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Mini-split leaking water? Start with where it appears
Tell an indoor leak from normal drainage, and know when water means stop and call for help.