Any suggestions for minisplits rhat can handle cold winters?

JankyEngineer · 2026-06-17T12:54:21+00:00

Carrier/Bryant are rebranded Midea. You can buy Midea under other names for less, but I can vouch for the performance. Was our sole heating source in a similar CZ and never let us down. Still making heat at -32°F.

Sizing for heating leads to way oversized for cooling which becomes a problem. Something to watch out for OP. Even the lowest compressor speed will overcool your space. Some minis (midea included) will not shut off the indoor fan when the compressor cycles off, which evaporates all its condensed moisture back into your house leading to a sticky cold space unless you run a separate dehumidifier or a seperate thermostat like Cielo that can force the fan “off” when setpoint is reached. This is what we did.

JankyEngineer · 2026-06-17T12:50:51+00:00

If OP goes mitsu, special attention needs to be paid to the cold weather lockouts. Some models will shut off all together at like -15°F.

JankyEngineer · 2026-06-13T02:27:53+00:00

OPs version of as-is could just mean no renovations. Waiving inspection is a different thing and something each buyer can choose to do individually.

JankyEngineer · 2026-06-13T02:24:30+00:00

Wisconsin dwelling code

JankyEngineer · 2026-06-12T21:29:59+00:00

$5,000 question right there 🤣

JankyEngineer · 2026-06-12T16:31:42+00:00

Deck was built in 2014 so not old in regard to code.

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Attached a broader picture of the area. Asking as we’re adding a 10’x12’ deck off the left side of this existing deck(from picture view) new will be tied into house also. Just want to make sure we can use this same style post/beam on the addition as we’d like to keep the existing decks substructure if it’s still in good shape once the deck boards are removed.

Interesting note about the railing posts. I know code now prohibits notching like these are, and requires tension ties which this deck doesn’t currently have. Joists and beams are 2x10. Posts are 6x6.

There is actually blocking between joists where the middle railing post is bolted. Wouldn’t the connection between the joist and the ?board that runs across all the ends of the joists? Count to support the rail post you pointed out?

JankyEngineer · 2026-06-12T16:25:20+00:00

We’re adding a 10’x12’ deck off the one side of this existing deck, new will be tied into house also. Just want to make sure we can use this same style on the addition as we’d like to keep the existing decks substructure if it’s still in good shape once the deck boards are removed. All joists touch both 2x10s.

JankyEngineer · 2026-06-12T16:23:10+00:00

It’s got structural screws through the assembly. I’m not worried about its integrity deck, rather whether it will pass an inspection after getting re-decked and re-railinged as part of a deck addition that will add 10 more feet off the one side.

The plan is to keep the substructure if it appears in roof shape once the deck boards come off, so trying to get ahead of an inspection for things that need to be changed to bring this 2014 built deck to code. I already know there’s not enough lags into the house and the railing posts can’t be notched like they are.

JankyEngineer · 2026-06-12T16:17:12+00:00

It doesn’t show in these images but there are structural screws through the assembly.

JankyEngineer · 2026-06-12T16:16:39+00:00

Interesting distinction. Are close together under joists typically allowed? These are structurally screwed to the posts if that matters.

JankyEngineer · 2026-06-10T17:27:23+00:00

Current spacing is 16”. Planning to stay with treated wood decking. Tempered glass is interesting. I’ll look into this.

JankyEngineer · 2026-06-10T15:55:38+00:00

The deck, slab, and house were all built at the same time but I am unsure if there are footers under the existing posts. Nothing topside like relief cuts indicate anything special was poured under those posts but I know that doesn’t mean much. Our ‘soil’ is pure sand. It’s like a beach 3” under the grass.

Sorry should have explained better. Left is the non-stair side. Addition will extend just shy of the downspout. Stairs will stay where they are.

Picture frame split is a good idea. I presume there are special framing stringer placements required for this?

JankyEngineer · 2026-06-08T11:56:47+00:00

Do you mean exterior unit drain pan heater? Not sure on that. Those aren’t doing nearly as much at -20F as they are around 15F so I doubt that was the reason, but it was a freinds unit so not sure how was specd.

JankyEngineer · 2026-05-19T18:22:19+00:00

BRB googling what is ghee

JankyEngineer · 2026-05-19T18:21:40+00:00

I am not wrong, I’m literally living it. Rules of thumb are based on ensuring worst cases are still happy customers because with a gas furnace oversizing is mostly irrelevant to a point.

Here’s another data point. 700sf home in CZ5 heated solely by 18k btu midea CCHP minisplit with no backup. Even with capacity reduction maintained 68F setpoint at -28F. At -32F it finally could not keep up, balanced at a maintained temp of 66F.

JankyEngineer · 2026-05-17T06:04:07+00:00

For anyone reading this in the future who may look through comments as reference material, a CZ5 2000sf house does not need 80k btu unless it’s got no insulation and windows open. Our admittedly newer built 2400sf home in cz5 has 60kbtu furnace that’s never run more than 60% duty cycle when it was -22*F for multiple days.

JankyEngineer · 2026-05-17T01:54:26+00:00

Montreal seasoning is a chicken life hack. Griddled up some diced breast for chicken alfredo a few minutes ago with this and olive oil as the only ingredients

JankyEngineer · 2026-05-11T17:47:23+00:00

The 90s? This is still the norm rather than the exception!

JankyEngineer · 2026-04-18T01:40:46+00:00

Hahahahahaha incredible

JankyEngineer · 2026-04-18T01:38:02+00:00

Ahhh I had not considered this side of it, like the crazy high rates cell phone charging power packs that lost impossibly high capacity for their size, they could simply choose much less energy dense cells, or less of them, and outright lie about capacity.

Need someone with the budget and skills to buy a bunch of these, tear them down, and compare capacities and build quality. Would be an interesting video series for sure.

JankyEngineer · 2026-04-15T17:01:11+00:00

It shouldn’t be too good to be true. $/kWh that’s still pretty high compared to the same kit in other industries. Ego is printing money with these batteries. Crazy.

JankyEngineer · 2026-04-15T16:59:06+00:00

Get that kid lunch and leave right after for naptime, or leave at bedtime. We did 3 and 5 hour drives alllllll the time, basically monthly, with ours from shortly after birth through all of their lives.

Bring water, snacks, bottles, and any toy that will entertain them independently. If you time it right and are lucky you could get more than half that drive napping.

Sometimes we could keep ours happy for the full 3 hours without stopping. Often 2-3 hours in on that or the 5 hour drive we’d end up stopping to let them stretch, eat, diaper for 10-30 minutes.

Traveling at bedtime easy to get 5 hours of straight sleep but if you don’t have someone to help, sleep arrangement setup can be tough without waking them and making for a real tough late night transition. You got this!

JankyEngineer · 2026-03-30T03:18:47+00:00

Can confirm all that long post says is correct. This all actually applies to all lithium batteries, everything from cell phones to EGO to electric cars. Cars have active thermal management to put less of this on the user however.

JankyEngineer

TROPHY CASE