So I got a few quotes for adding AC to my small house and they were ridiculous. The cheapest one came in at $5800 for a single-zone system. For one room! I get that labor isn’t cheap, but that felt insane.
After a few days of sulking, I decided to go full DIY mode. I started watching YouTube videos, reading HVAC forums, and realized that installing a ductless mini split might actually be doable for a regular person if you’re careful.
I ended up ordering a single-zone 18k BTU unit. It came with the copper lines pre-flared, but I still had to learn about things like line length limits, vacuum pumps, and how to make sure there’s no refrigerant leak. I borrowed a vacuum pump from a friend, took two weekends, and probably made 10 trips to the hardware store for random stuff like mounting brackets and insulation tape.
The hardest part was running the lines through the wall neatly (took me an hour just to make peace with drilling that first hole). Once everything was connected and vacuumed, I flipped the breaker and… it actually started working.
It’s been running for a few months now, cooling is solid, heating works surprisingly well, and the noise level is barely noticeable. The power bill even dropped a bit compared to my old window unit. Honestly, I didn’t expect a budget setup to perform this well.
If you’re handy and have some patience, I’d say a DIY mini split is 100% worth considering, especially if HVAC quotes make you want to cry.
Insane HVAC quotes push me to DIY and it really can save money
byu/After-Condition4007 inFrugal
Posted by After-Condition4007
3 Comments
I’m curious how many hours and dollars it took. But yeah, DIY can definitely save decent money.
Well done. Most people on /r/diy say they won’t touch HVAC work.
Simple systems aren’t that bad, the hardest part of doing a normal condenser install with a gas furnace is brazing the lines
If someone is a competent mechanic and has a decent degree of knowing how to fix general things, it’s not that hard to pick up. The wiring you just follow a diagram. The condensers come pre-charged for a short run, if you’re doing a longer run you can always call a company to come out and top it off
Mini splits are even easier
As expensive as labor is getting, and trust me I get it because I run a trade business and our general billable hours are between 250 and 300 an hour. That’s just unaffordable for a lot of people