How To Camouflage A Mini Split Heat Pump
Today’s heat pumps are a far cry from the heat pump of the 1980’s. Today’s heat pumps are a perfect way to not only cool your home but to heat it too! Current technology offers the homeowner energy efficiency and targeted heating and cooling even in the cold climate of Idaho. Plus, today’s designs offer you a myriad of ways to integrate this energy saving technology into your home decor!
Read More: Tax Credits And Rebates For Heat Pumps In 2023
Mini Split 101
Before we get into the home decor aspect of camouflaging your mini split, it is important to understand what the mini split requires to optimally heat and cool your home.
As you might expect, the mini split needs room to take air into the system to either heat or cool. Plus it needs the ideal location in the room to be cooled and an unobstructed pathway to push air out.
That is just simple logic. But if you are thinking that means that your mini split needs to be an eyesore – think again! All you need is a little bit of imagination and a basic understanding of human nature – such as what people actually notice.
What People See
Have you ever walked into a room and thought to yourself, “Oh – they are heating this room with a radiator.” or “These folks use forced air heat.”? I would guess that the mode of heating or cooling is not the first thing that you notice when you walk into a room. So when you are thinking about how to “minimize” the look of a mini split, remember that the goal is not to completely hide it – but to distract the eye elsewhere.
Methods of Distraction
When we subscribe to the idea that people notice your decor before they notice the way you heat or cool your home, drawing attention away from your mini split is easy.
House Plants
Adding houseplants to your home decor is a perfect way to make your home or work space feel warm and inviting. And it is a very effective way of drawing the eye away from what is going on your walls and focusing attention to the lush greenery.
When using houseplants as a decorating tool, it is important to integrate the plants throughout the room and not just in front of the mini split unit. Pockets of greenery on tables or on the floor not only help to improve the quality of air in your room but they also serve to act as a welcome focal point.
Read More: How Much Does It Cost To Run A Mini Split?
Art Work and Shelving
Disguising your mini split with artwork and shelving can be a little tricky. This is where an understanding of what your mini split needs to do its job is important.
Your mini split needs at least a 6” clearance above the unit to allow it to draw air in. It also needs an unobstructed pathway to push the treated air out and into the room. So any shelving that you might want to incorporate into your plan to “frame” the mini split needs to take these requirements into consideration.
Also, hiding your mini split behind artwork or electronics can be a risky thing to do as the treated air is likely to be more humid, possibly putting your artwork or electronics at risk. But as long as you can keep your camouflage the recommended distance from the mini split, your efforts at drawing the eye away from the mini split should work.
Wall Hangings and Draperies
As with the other methods of camouflaging, utilizing wall hangings to cover your mini split can be a very effective way of minimizing the look of your mini split as long as you follow the basic rules of mini split operation and keep your air intake and output paths open and available.
In rooms where a mini split offers supplemental heating and cooling, a well placed retractable wall hanging on a curtain rod allows the homeowner to cover up the mini split when not in use.
Ceiling Mounted Mini Splits
One of the most versatile mini split options is the ceiling-mounted mini split. These units are mounted in such a way as to sit unobtrusively on the ceiling pushing treated air out into your room. There is no need to take up valuable wall space and these units are practically invisible.
Ductless Mini Split Installation In Boise, Idaho
For those of you who live in the Boise, Idaho area, your Snowflake Air dealer can offer you a full array of mini split choices – from wall mounted to the latest ceiling-mounted models. Plus your experienced technician can help you take advantage of the tax credits available under the Inflation Reduction Act for purchasing high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment.
Call us today at (208) 205-9078 for a free consultation and to discover how introducing a mini split to your home environment can add comfort, style, and savings to your home!
