3-Season Porch Mini-Split Installation in Gardner, MA

Project Overview

A homeowner in Gardner, Massachusetts, sought a solution to transform their 3-season porch into a year-round living space. With the porch already insulated, they needed an efficient heating system to ensure comfort throughout the colder months. Extending the home’s existing floorboard heating system would have been costly and inefficient.

Jay Moody HVAC recommended and installed a Mitsubishi mini-split system, offering efficient heating and cooling. This dual-purpose system proved to be the ideal comfort solution for the insulated porch, meeting the homeowner’s needs while maintaining energy efficiency.

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From the Client:

“We had such a fantastic experience with the team at Jay Moody. Ours was a complicated installation in an old farmhouse, and they managed to cover every space. They are fast, responsive, and incredibly professional. They weren’t the lowest bid for our job by a long shot, but this is seriously a case where you get what you pay for, and I would absolutely work with them again and cannot recommend them more highly.”

The Challenge

The Gardner home’s 3-season porch lacked any form of heating or cooling, restricting its use to the warmer months. Extending the home’s existing floorboard heating system to the porch posed several challenges, including high installation costs, increased reliance on fossil fuels and the inability to provide cooling for the space.

Additionally, the homeowner prioritized maintaining the home’s aesthetic appeal and was concerned about minimizing the visual impact of the linehide on the exterior of the house. These factors required a solution that was not only efficient and cost-effective but also thoughtfully designed to blend seamlessly with the home’s appearance.

The Design

Jay Moody HVAC installed a Mitsubishi mini-split system to efficiently address the heating and cooling needs of the 3-season porch. The ductless heat pump system features a sleek wall-mounted unit, strategically centered on the room’s far wall for optimal airflow. This unit is connected to a single-zone outdoor condenser, discreetly placed on the side of the house to minimize impact on the home’s exterior.

Equipped with Mitsubishi’s advanced cold-climate technology, the mini-split system provides reliable heating during the harsh New England winters and efficient air conditioning to keep the space cool and comfortable in the summer.

Project Execution

In-Home Consultation: To ensure the project aligned with the homeowner’s specific needs, a Jay Moody HVAC sales-engineer conducted an in-home consultation to thoroughly discuss their goals and preferences. During the visit, the engineer performed a Manual J Calculation, a precise method for determining the room’s heating and cooling requirements. This process enabled the design of a system that met the room’s needs without oversizing, ensuring both efficiency and comfort. Within 48 hours of the consultation, Jay Moody HVAC provided the homeowner with a formal, customized system proposal. This proposal outlined a tailored solution to address the room’s heating and cooling demands while prioritizing the homeowner’s desired level of comfort. Additionally, the proposal included details on available energy incentives the new system would qualify for.
Mini-Split Installation: At Jay Moody HVAC, every installation begins with an initial walk-through with the customer. During this step, the lead HVAC installer reviews the project details, confirms system placement, and addresses any questions or concerns to ensure the homeowner feels informed and confident about the process. Maintaining our commitment to exceptional craftsmanship, the Jay Moody HVAC team paid meticulous attention to every detail of the installation. All electrical work was performed by our licensed electricians, ensuring safety, precision, and compliance with local codes. To preserve the home’s outdoor aesthetic, our team carefully mapped out the system’s linehide along the edge of the home. This thoughtful placement allowed the linehide to blend seamlessly with the home’s trim, making it less noticeable. Additionally, the line set was custom-fitted with hand-bent turns, which not only improved its appearance but also reduced resistance within the system and minimized the potential for future leaks. Once the installation was complete, the lead heat pump installer conducted a final walk-through with the homeowner. During this time, they provided a detailed explanation of how to use and maintain the new mini-split system, ensuring the homeowner understood its operation and felt confident in maximizing their comfort year-round.
Warranties & Energy Incentives: Following the installation, Jay Moody HVAC took care of filing the equipment warranty paperwork, ensuring the system was fully registered and backed for years to come. As a Mitsubishi Diamond Elite Contractor, Jay Moody HVAC offers an extended 12-year equipment warranty on all Mitsubishi systems installed by our team, providing the homeowner with additional peace of mind and long-term protection. In addition to the warranty benefits, the homeowner was able to take advantage of federal tax credits available under the Inflation Reduction Act. Mini-split heat pump installations can qualify for a tax credit of 30% of the installation cost, up to $2,000. These significant savings helped offset the investment in their new system. Plus, if the homeowner chooses to install additional mini-splits in the future, they can continue to benefit from these valuable tax incentives.

The 3-season porch in this Gardner, Massachusetts home has been transformed into a fully functional 4-season space, allowing the family to enjoy it comfortably and efficiently all year round. We are grateful to the homeowners for choosing Jay Moody HVAC for their mini-split heat pump project!

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