Mini-Split enough in Michigan?

[superman22x]

I'm looking for some suggestions from members. I'm looking at a few options to heat my ~450sqft attached garage. I was thinking a Mr Heater Big MAXX initially. They are around $450. But by the time it's installed and I run natural gas, even doing all the work myself, I think I'm looking at $800. Not sure I can do Natural gas work myself though in my town. At this point, I am close to the price of a 12k BTU split unit. LG has one around $1000 rated down to -4F I believe. And I get the large benefit of having AC with this... Would one of these be enough to heat my garage in the winter? I'm guessing in the really cold weeks, I would not be able to heat with it. That's ok. If 95% of the time it does the trick. I think installation would be easy with one, but I could be wrong? My electric panel is on the same wall I plan to install it on, so it would be simple for wiring. Then it's just running two coolant lines and charging?

I have R13 in the walls, and I am planning to insulate the whole attic of my house/garage with R40 or so soon, as it's R9 or so now...

 

[SALIV8]

Yup, I also think I will be adding a mini split to my place in mich. really cold it won't do the job I guess but mostly it will. You wil run two lines, communication/ power line to indoor unit and a drain line.

Installation is straightforward just read all manuals thoroughly and completely, have a tech make final connections and charge for warranty and rebates and you will be a happy camper.

 

[bochnak]

I can't see how 12k will be enough heat for midwest winters. Also, natural gas is super cheap right now. Not so with electricity.

I have a 60k heater for my detached 480sq ft, non insulated block walls, insulated rafters (open ceiling) and it still takes some time to get it up to 60°F.

 

[ghnl]

The air to air heat pumps I am aware of (mini splits are heat pumps) are not very efficient at extremes of temps. Our's (whole house furnace is a combo heat pump/propane back up) works fine down to about 35F. Then it switches to propane. The mini-splits in the garage also work fine down to about 35F - 40F. The A/C part seems to work fine into the 100'sF (but it also is running almost constantly then). This is in central North Carolina. Winter temps below 30F are occasional but the average is probably closer to 45F - 50F. Summer temps are in the 90'sF - 100F.

Thus, I'd wonder if the heat part would be unable to keep up during many Michigan winter days or nights.

 

[Kaizen]

I put in a mr cool 12k for the house. Does great down to forties but then tends to overwork and not put out enough heat. Granted it’s a “budget” mini split with predone linesets. I’ve heard claims the Mitsubishi works well to those low temps. I’d recommend putting one in just for the ac. Unbelievable. Mine has a “dry” mode where it just works as a dehumidifier. Been using that a lot this summer


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[kelpaso1]

Below about 15F they don't put out enough heat to keep my 500 sf garage at 60f. Below that they still put out some heat but not enough. Mine is an 18K unit.

 

[superman22x]

Since I have an attached garage, I will gain some heat through one wall rather than lose heat. It sounds like it will work well enough, and the benefits for the summer months outweigh the downsides in the winter. Michigan winters get cold, but usually the single digit temps don't last that long...

 

[finn]

Since I have an attached garage, I will gain some heat through one wall rather than lose heat. It sounds like it will work well enough, and the benefits for the summer months outweigh the downsides in the winter. Michigan winters get cold, but usually the single digit temps don't last that long...

Only three months....

 

[justinjoyal]

The air to air heat pumps I am aware of (mini splits are heat pumps) are not very efficient at extremes of temps. Our's (whole house furnace is a combo heat pump/propane back up) works fine down to about 35F. Then it switches to propane. The mini-splits in the garage also work fine down to about 35F - 40F. The A/C part seems to work fine into the 100'sF (but it also is running almost constantly then). This is in central North Carolina. Winter temps below 30F are occasional but the average is probably closer to 45F - 50F. Summer temps are in the 90'sF - 100F.

Thus, I'd wonder if the heat part would be unable to keep up during many Michigan winter days or nights.

Cheap, low-end mini-splits are good at heating down to ~5F.

The best ones will efficiently heat at colder temps, ~ -25F !

 

[superman22x]

Only three months....

I used to live in the UP (Houghton) for 6 years, I remember the many months of cold...

 

[Jackfre]

Justin has the lead here. Rather than buy the average type unit, buy the best and be comfortable in the space. If you buy the unit you spec'd you will end up adding a heater anyway. Bite the bullet and get the best performing unit you can find. I think in the long run you will be better off.

 

[finn]

Cheap, low-end mini-splits are good at heating down to ~5F.

The best ones will efficiently heat at colder temps, ~ -25F !

Even the standard Mitsubishi units are only good for 8 degrees. The Hypeheat, if I remember correctly is -13. I haven’t seen anything good for-25.

I just installed two Mitsubishi Hypers. One will heat through the winter, but I have an electric resistance baseboard for backup. The second is in a different house, and will be the backup for propane fa.

We’ll see how these work out. I’m especially concerned with performance in our area of extreme snowfall. Last winter we had 300+ inches, and I doubt they have the ability to cope with that. One is under a high deck (daylight basement), so at least it’s got a chance.

The other one is on the side of the house, so I expect it to be useless for heating in the winter, without daily removal of accumulated snow from the outside unit. That gets pretty old really fast.