So what do you have your A/C set to?

[Hassin Bin Sober]

96. I just re-read your post and saw Japan. It's a no-brainer. Mini splits are big there.

They are becoming popular in the states (Home Depot carries and displays them now).

They're great for retrofitting older homes without ducts (boiler homes or homes with base board heat). They're also great for new energy efficient alternatives.

I'm considering installing a system in my third floor 2 bedroom condo in Chicago when the time for a new central A/C system arrives (soon).

Even though I have ducts I'm considering the minis to bypass my ducts which run through an un-conditioned attic/crawl. We managed to blow in a bunch of cellulose last year to bury the main trunk and some of the duct branches but some ducts are still marginal. We also deleted some ducts and tapped in to the main trunk in the living area (open floor plan).

Some experts say, even under good circumstances, ducts are responsible for 30% loss in efficiency. I was probably losing 50%. (between the new cellulose, duct reconfiguring, and window film, we have a HUGE drop in electric bills and huge increase in comfort).

The mini-split pumps refrigerant to the individual zone or zones. Much more efficient.

The added bonus for me would be a heat pump that is part of the system. A heat pump for Chicago isn't ideal as the heat pumps lose efficiency under 18ish? degrees Celsius. But a heat pump would be a great heat source for fall and most winter days. I'll still have my only 10 year old furnace to do the heavy lifting.

The draw back for me would be mounting registers on the walls. It would look a little out of the ordinary in this market as the systems are relatively new. But I have run across some systems that have a flush mount ceiling register that is hardly noticeable.