Hey everyone, looking for some advice.
I converted my garage (roughly 320 sq ft with 10 ft ceiling） into a small home gym, but it gets brutally hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. I only use it 2–3 times a week, so spending a ton on a new AC feels like overkill.
Considering the garage size, I’d probably need a 12000 BTU mini split. New units I’ve been checking (costway/senville) are in the $700–$1000 range.
Then I found a used mini split on Facebook Marketplace, selling for $300. It seems like a good way to save some money. However, I’m worried about potential hidden issues, like:
- efficiency drop
- refrigerant leaks
- unknown past maintenance problems
- whether installation costs will eat up the savings
Has anyone here ever gone the secondhand route for a mini split? Did it actually save you money in the long run, or did it end up causing headaches?
Any tips or things I should watch out for would be much appreciated!
Found a used mini split，is it actually worth for my garage?
byu/bawa_himanshu_774 inFrugal
Posted by bawa_himanshu_774
3 Comments
Maybe if it was comfortable in there you’d use it more than two to three times a week, and then your previous purchases would be more worth the money. You could use YouTube and install it yourself, but installation costs would probably be the same for a new or used one, unless you find someone offering free installation for a new unit
How are you going to braze the lines? How are you going to clean and fill the system? These are not DIY. A Mr Cool or similar system is built for the DIYer, the rest are for the pros.
I had bought a house a few years back and the 20-year old AC unit and the furnace fan weren’t strong enough to properly cool the upstairs. We paid $3500 to have a mini split installed by a professional and it was worth it imo.
Just make sure you find out what coolant it uses, because older coolants are becoming more expensive to refill