We got an interesting call here at Snowflake Air: a printing business in Garden City, ID kept having a problem with overheating equipment. Could we help?
Now, we don’t know anything about printers. But, we do know HVAC. So, we got the full story.
Publications such as newspapers and magazines had been this businesses’ main stock-in-trade for a long time. Even when they converted to mostly digital-based printers instead of an old-fashioned press, the clients were the same.
More recently, they’d gotten into 3D printing as well. But, as the business expanded, a problem emerged: Overheating.
As they got more machines and drew more power, their space got hotter and hotter. Soon, “Warning: Head Too Hot” and similar messages kept cropping up and slowing down their work.
Limitations Of A Commercial HVAC System
The HVAC system in the building couldn’t offer much more help. They could only turn down the temperature so far before the other tenants got too cold.
Portable or window ACs won’t work because there were no exterior windows in the printer area. And, of course, fans wouldn’t be strong enough.
Finally, as the business owner wondered whether he’d need to deal with moving expenses, he heard about ductless heating and cooling. From what he’d gathered so far, it seemed like this could be a solution.
That’s when he came to us.
In this case study, we’ll explain how ductless works and why it was a good match for this business. Then we’ll touch on a few other benefits and then go over how we installed it.
And if you’re reading this and it seems like you have a similar problem at your Treasure Valley business, give us a call here at Snowflake Air! Starting with a free consultation, we’ll look at the space and let you know if ductless heating and cooling is right for you.
Problem: A printing business in Garden City, ID could not keep the room with the printers cool enough with the HVAC that the building already had. The overheating affected their profits.
Solution: Installed a one-zone Mitsubishi ductless mini split. The air handler does an outstanding job of circulating air to keep the temperature where it needs to stay.
Read More: How Much Does A Mini Split Cost In And Around Boise Metro?
How Ductless Heating And Cooling Works
Ductless heating and cooling works by moving heat from one place to the other. In the case of this Garden City, ID business, that meant taking it from the room with the printers and dumping it outside.
But, it works by moving the heat only, not the air as well. That crucial component, our business owner quickly learned, was why it would work for him.
These systems are often called “mini splits” because they consist of indoor and outdoor units. And, at first glance, they don’t seem to be connected at all.
The air handler inside draws in the air. Then, it cools (or warms it) and re-circulates that air. The unit also handles dehumidification — an essential part of the cooling process.
A heat pump outside takes care of the heat transfer.
Since the air doesn’t move, all that’s needed to connect the two are lines that run refrigerant liquid between the two. The liquid absorbs the heat from the air and carries it out to the pump.
It’s worth noting that the system can also heat the room. In that case, the refrigerant absorbs the heat that’s outside in the winter, and the heat pump amplifies it. Then, the liquid transports the heat inside.
But, our business owner wasn’t concerned at all with warming things up. How would this process help keep his printers running?
How A Mini Split Prevented Overheating Equipment
A mini split would help in two critical ways. We could run the refrigerant lines through walls. There’s no need for ductwork or windows.
Next, the air handler has a built-in thermostat. It wasn’t connected to the building’s primary HVAC system, so our business owner could set it however he wanted it.
This way, it was the best of both worlds.
Imagine the flexibility of a window air conditioner. You could set that unit to whatever temperature you wanted, regardless of the other rooms in the house.
But, you’d need a window for it to work — and the same goes for newer portable models. Meanwhile, they wouldn’t be strong enough for industrial use.
Now, commercial forced-air could do the job — if the building was designed for this equipment. But, it wasn’t.
The room didn’t have enough vents to handle the extra heat. As we mentioned, the business couldn’t turn down the thermostat as much as they needed. That would impact the other tenants there.
But, a mini split offers flexibility. We could run those lines from any room out to the heat pump. They’re less than six inches in diameter, so they’re barely noticeable.
And, the system is just as strong as forced air. In some cases, it works even better. We’ve outfitted entire homes with these systems, and they’ve taken the place of any other HVAC equipment.
More Benefits Of Ductless Heating And Cooling
In this case, the power and customization were all this business owner needed to hear about. But, there are a few more benefits worth mentioning.
Energy Efficiency
Ductless heating and cooling’s heat transfer process doesn’t burn any fossil fuels like conventional heating. Nor does it need nearly as much electricity as traditional AC.
The result? Powerful HVAC that barely makes a dent on your utility bills. 
Quiet Operation
A mini split is as silent as it is powerful. Without forced-air, it makes about as much noise as people whispering — and that’s when it’s running at full capacity.
Add-On Opportunities
One heat pump can handle up to eight air handlers. So, in the case of a home or larger office space, you can add more zones without drastically increasing the cost of the system.
Read More: Rebates and Financing For Mini Splits In And Around Boise Metro
Mini Split Installation In A Garden City, ID Commercial Space
Installing this mini split was quick and easy. A single-zone system usually takes less than a day. This one was a little trickier since we needed the building owner to sign off. But, we still got the actual install done in two business days.
We came into the printing room and took some measurements to perform a load calculation. That tells us how powerful of a heat pump our business owner would need.
In this case, the calculation also accounted for the extra heat from the machinery. And whatever cooling the building’s system offered.
From there, our owner chose his equipment. Then, we picked the best spots for the air handler and heat pump, mounted them, and ran the lines. That was it!
The job was fast and easy, and now all the machinery is running smoothly. If you’d like to learn more about how a system like this can help your Treasure Valley business, call or email Snowflake Air for a free consultation for Boise Metro mini split installations.
