Mini Split Installation in San Francisco, CA
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San Francisco asks a mini-split to heat, not cool
Homes here need heat from November through May, seven months of the year. Winter nights average 45°F from December through February, which is mild, but the heat has to run steadily across most of the year to keep up. Summer afternoons average 70°F, so the cooling side of a mini-split does little work here.
A new unit still has to meet the federal minimum for a split-system heat pump, 14.3 SEER2 for cooling and 7.5 HSPF2 for heating. In San Francisco the heating side is what carries the load, since that is the job the system does most months of the year.
- 7 months
- November through May, your system heats
- 45°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 70°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
California requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
California licenses HVAC contractors through the Contractors State License Board. The license is issued to the contractor as a business, and it covers the contractor rather than any single job.
For the mini-split going into this home, that license is what stands behind the person doing the work. The installation itself also needs a permit from the local building office in most cities and counties, with an inspection once the work is done.
Sources: California Legislative Counsel · Contractors State License Board
- Is a mini split worth it?
- For most San Francisco homes, yes. Your winters call for heat from November through May, and a mini split is a heat pump built to warm a room, not just cool it. You likely will not use the cooling side much with summer afternoons averaging around 70°F, but you still get quiet, room by room heat without ductwork. A contractor can tell you whether your specific rooms and layout make sense for it.
- How many rooms can a mini split cover?
- One outdoor unit can run several indoor heads, with each head sized for the room it sits in. A small bedroom needs less capacity than an open living room, so the count that works for your house depends on square footage, ceiling height, and how the rooms connect. A contractor walks through the home before sizing anything.
- Can a mini split heat a whole house?
- It can, if it is sized and placed for that. A multi-zone system with a head in each main room heats the whole house the same way a furnace does, just without ducts. Your winters here average 45°F at night for months at a stretch, so the system needs enough capacity to keep up on the coldest nights, not just the mild ones. A contractor sizes this room by room rather than guessing at a whole-house number.