Project Location: Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Completion Date: January 2017

Challenge
Selecting an efficient, reliable cooling and heating system for a historic home

Solution
Zoned Comfort Solutions® from Mitsubishi Electric

Result
True zoning abilities, reliable operation and efficient performance throughout the year

Joel Hicks and Megan Nesbitt recently bought an 1895 4,000-square-foot brick house in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. After a few months in the home, cold weather moved in and their outdated boiler system couldn’t keep up. Within five weeks, the boiler had burned through $650 worth of fuel oil, causing Hicks and Nesbitt to search for a new system. After much research and consideration, the couple selected Zoned Comfort Solutions® from Mitsubishi Electric

“We certainly wanted an energy-efficient system because the boiler was inefficient, but we also had no cooling capacity. Convection airflow wasn’t going to make the house comfortable on the hottest day,” said Hicks. Not only did the couple want a cooling and heating system that was energy-efficient, but also one that could provide year-round comfort and pay homage to the historic property. To find such a system, the couple called in John Ake, a comfort consultant from Zimmerman Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Ake said, “There’s only two people living in the house so zoning was a priority. The couple wanted a system that would allow them to condition areas when they wanted to condition them. Aesthetics were also a large factor because of the home’s historic nature, but because it’s a three-story house, ductwork would have been a challenge because you’d have to put in multiple systems.”

Ake consulted with colleague Scott Wallick, install supervisor, to assist the research process. Wallick proposed zoned technology because of its superior performance. He said, “We suggested a ductless system because it could provide year-round comfort with cooling and heating rather than them having to choose one over the other.”

Hicks also agreed with the selection of zoned technology: “With the age of the home, it was going to be hard to imagine doing ductwork. We didn’t want it to affect the look of the house so it became clear that ductless was going to be necessary.”

As Elite Diamond Contractors® for Mitsubishi Electric, Ake and Wallick believed that Zoned Comfort Solutions were the only zoned systems up for the challenge. Ake said, “We feel that Mitsubishi Electric offers a superior product in comparison to competitors in performance, reliability and warranty. We don’t get callbacks on them.”

Wallick also stated that the product’s performance would serve the customer well. “We rely on Mitsubishi Electric equipment and we could prove the extremely low failure rate to the customer. And the fact that their systems can achieve heat in such cold temperatures was definitely a plus to the customer.”

Another benefit: efficiency. Hicks said, “I was really looking for a system that had a high SEER rating, and it was clear that Mitsubishi Electric offered more efficient ones.”

With the system confidently selected, installation began. Distributor Peirce-Phelps Inc., Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, eased what could have been a difficult process. “Prior to the job, we reviewed the location because we needed to make as little impact as possible on the house—but we still ran into a lot of challenges. We had to work around a fireplace to install the condensation drain and place the wall-mounted units for maximum airflow and aesthetics,” said Ake.

Although the installation may have been challenging, the project team believes the results have exceeded expectations. Wallick said, “The design of the house complicated the design of the HVAC. When this house was built, no one considered putting a system in this house. But, after it was installed, the homeowners were greatly impressed with the zoning part of this system. They loved how they could preset temperatures for each room.”

Beyond just benefiting from the system’s zoning abilities, the couple has been more than pleased with the system’s overall performance. Hicks said, “For the two of us in such a large home, it’s a perfect system. It’s reliable and offers the energy savings that we wanted. There are no surprises with this system.”

To control the comfort of their home and save even more energy, Hicks and Nesbitt invested in kumo cloud®, the programmable controller app by Mitsubishi Electric. “It’s simple to use, it’s intuitive and very convenient for us. I really like how you don’t have to hit 28 different screens to change the temperature in the kitchen. And if we’re traveling, we are able to set it up an hour or two before we arrive so it’s comfortable when we get home,” said Hicks.

Looking back on the project, the couple believes that because of Zoned Comfort Solutions, they finally have the comfort and efficiency they wanted. Hicks said, “When I researched, I found that Mitsubishi Electric was top-of-the line for energy savings. From then on, there was no question about using them. I have found the units to be remarkably effective for cooling and heating a room, and they look really cool too.”

Project Team

  • HVAC Contractor: Zimmerman Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
  • Distributor: Pierce-Phelps Inc., Blue Bell, Pennsylvania

Mitsubishi Electric Equipment Installed

  • (2) MXZ M-Series Outdoor Units
  • (7) MSZ Wall-mounted Indoor Units
  • (1) MXZ C Generation Branch Box
  • (7) PAC Wi-Fi Interfaces
  • (1) kumo cloud® programmable controller app