HVAC guys,,

montanajoe

What options are available for A/C in a house that has no duct work.  Heat is radiant water from a boiler.  
The house is aprx 1300 sq. ft. main level with full finished basement.  Basement does not need cooling.  
What's out there, cost, efficiency ? Thanks. 

montanajoe

Swamp cooler- No
Window units-No

redneckandy

Look into split units. You can have one outside condenser and a few evaporators inside. You can cool each area separately. Most of em have a high SEER rating.

JimmyJack

I had that in a house,  and the best way for me was to have them install some ducts in the basement and put in floor registers.  

nmyers

When I put an addition on my house, I installed a split pack unit; they can be used for both heat & AC.  It worked great, & was economical, even though it was "1st generation". 

The problem is, you need to install an inside unit in each room or area, high on the wall.  You have to run electric & control wires to each inside unit,  & separately insulated refrigerant lines to the outside unit.  And, you need a condensate line from each inside unit to your inside drain.  Easiest install is when you have an unfinished basement or crawl space under the floor of a 1 story house.  Unless you have a drop ceiling in your basement, this may not be an option.

Most (all?) split pack units have a Japanese manufacturer's name on them, but parts & assembly are done in China.

Neal

montanajoe

The split units sounds good, but man also sounds like a ton of demo work in a  already finished house. 

MIKE WISKEY

"also sounds like a ton of demo work in a  already finished house. ".............it depends on the situation, lots of options. Talk to a contractor

NeoBlackdog

If there's space in the attic you can mount an air handler up there and have the registers and air return mounted in the ceiling.
You'll still need to mount a condenser unit somewhere outside and run it's plumbing into the attic space.  
I've got that in the house I'm selling and it works pretty good.  

susie

My house in Pine Bluff, Arkansas had AC unit go out last year (fan issue).  Long story, not going into it on repair time.  To keep it cool while I waited on repairs I put two portable AC units in it.  2400 sqft. living space in ranch style house.  These two units kept it comfortable.   They each had hose which vented through a nearby window.  Cost wise running the two portable was comparable to running the regular AC unit.  Comparing bills from last year with portable and this year with repaired AC unit, there isn't much difference.

You can get them at big box stores, Lowes, Home Depot, Wallie World, Menards, etc.  Cost per unit depends on size.   Range from $200-$500.  Easy enough to set up, plug into any outlet, attach air duct (think dryer vent hose) and vent it through nearby window.  Units come with adjustable fittings for the window.

montanajoe

Thanks all.  

Mercury

Mini splits are the way to go. If you are *really* handy, you can do it yourself. It'll cost you about $500 to buy the equipment, less if you buy the cheapo china stuff. I installed a two head in my guest house, and am getting ready to install a 3 head in my other house.

I like the LG units. They are built well, and have a good reputation, unlike some other LG appliances.  Supplyhouse.com is the cheapest overall that I've found. You can get up to a 4 head unit, which is going in my current house as soon as I move and remodel it.

Merc

montanajoe

Thanks Merc.

mogley98

You got a basement run ductwork in the joist spaces and cut grates into floor

Guess I should have read FINISHED basement first LOL

Oakie

Joe, You have three options. One: a split unit. They can handle up to 4 heads inside. Mount the units on outside walls and run the copper down spouts to the crawl space and out to unit. Option 2. Air handler in the attic, with duct work, and vents out through ceiling. Option 3. Unico high velocity unit.  This is the most expensive of the 3 options, but will cool the house quicker and use less electric. The split unit made by Fujitsu, is now partnered with Rheem, which is an excellent unit. When you get quotes, call me and I will walk you through it. Oakie. My number is, 856 725 0690. Put it in your phone. 

truthful

A neighbor's daughter and son-in-law installed split units in an old barn they converted to living space and they swear by them for both heating and cooling.

montanajoe

Thanks all.
Rheem is a name I know and trust.  Several recommend the split unit(s), will be my first choice of getting quotes. 
Oakie, thank you.  And stop in here more often.   

Butchdog2

We have a local Habitat  for Humanity chapter around here. The use the mini-split to HVAC a 1,000 square foot house, have heard no complaints. Pretty sure most have one air handler inside.