Heating + cooling
Ductless mini-splits in Ottawa
No ducts? No problem. A ductless mini-split heats and cools the rooms that need it, with a small outdoor unit and a quiet indoor head on the wall.
- HRAI member
- TSSA affiliated
- Licensed technicians
- Free estimates
01Is it time?
A ductless mini-split makes sense if…
- 01 Your home is heated with hot-water radiators or electric baseboards and has no ductwork.
- 02 You rely on window air conditioners every summer.
- 03 An addition, sunroom or finished attic is always too hot or too cold.
- 04 Your basement is finished but never quite comfortable.
- 05 Upstairs bedrooms overheat in July because the central air can't keep up.
- 06 You want to cut electric baseboard costs without tearing open walls for ducts.
02The install
What's included in every mini-split install
Ductless systems are simple on paper. The details of the install decide how well they work in an Ottawa winter.
Room-by-room sizing
We size each indoor head to the room it serves and the outdoor unit to the total load, so rooms aren't oversized and short-cycling.
Head placement
We place each head where air reaches the whole room without blowing on beds or seating, and where the refrigerant line and drain can run cleanly.
Winter-ready outdoor unit
The outdoor unit goes on a stand or wall bracket above the snow line, out from under roof drip lines, with room to drain when it defrosts.
Line-set and drain
Refrigerant lines are pressure-tested and vacuumed, and run inside a tidy cover on the outside wall. Condensate drains are routed so they don't freeze or leak.
Electrical to code
A dedicated circuit and outdoor disconnect, sized to the equipment. If your panel is short on room, we'll tell you at the estimate.
Controls walk-through
We show you the remote or app, the heating and cooling modes, and how to clean the filters, then register the manufacturer warranty.
04Options
Which ductless setup fits your home?
It comes down to how many rooms you want to cover and what you're replacing.
Single-zone
Best for: One room, addition or open floor area
One outdoor unit serves one indoor head. Simple, efficient and the quickest install. A good fit for a sunroom, a garage suite or a main floor open plan.
Multi-zone
Best for: Several rooms on one outdoor unit
One outdoor unit serves two or more heads, each with its own thermostat. Useful when you want to cover bedrooms and living areas without several units outside.
Ducted mini-split
Best for: Homes with a small run of ducts or attic space
A compact air handler hidden in a closet, bulkhead or attic feeds short duct runs to a few rooms. No wall heads, but it needs space to hide the unit.
05How it works
From first call to first cold night
- 1
Call or book online
Tell us which rooms are uncomfortable and how the house is heated now.
- 2
Free in-home estimate
We measure the rooms, look at wall space for the heads, check your electrical panel and pick a spot for the outdoor unit.
- 3
Clear written quote
Equipment, head locations, line-set routes and price in writing, plus any rebate programs worth applying for.
- 4
Installation
A single-zone install is usually a one-day job. Larger multi-zone systems can take two to three days.
- 5
Yearly maintenance
Clean the filters yourself every month or two. A yearly professional check covers coils, drains and refrigerant charge.
What does a ductless mini-split cost in Ottawa?
The biggest factors are the number of indoor heads, the size of the outdoor unit, how far the refrigerant lines have to run, and whether your electrical panel needs work. A single-zone system costs far less than a whole-house multi-zone setup.
The estimate is free and the price is in writing before any work starts.
Rebates & financing
Ductless heat pumps that replace electric baseboards, oil or propane may qualify for energy-efficiency rebates or financing programs. Programs change during the year, so we check what applies to your home during the estimate.
Current programsWill a mini-split heat my home in January?
Cold-climate mini-splits keep heating well below -20°C, though their output drops as it gets colder. In most Ottawa homes we keep the existing radiators or baseboards as backup for the coldest nights, so you're never relying on one system alone.
Can I keep my radiators or baseboards?
Yes, and we usually recommend it. The mini-split does most of the heating and all of the cooling, and the existing system tops up on the coldest days. Your thermostat settings decide which one runs first.
How many indoor heads do I need?
It depends on the layout. Open main floors can often be covered by one head. Bedrooms with doors usually need their own. We'll map it out room by room at the estimate.
Are the indoor units noisy?
No. Indoor heads are quiet at normal settings, closer to a soft hum than a fan. The outdoor unit sits outside, so most of the sound stays there.
How do I maintain a mini-split?
Rinse or vacuum the indoor filters every month or two, more often if you have pets. Keep snow and leaves clear of the outdoor unit. Book a professional check once a year to clean the coils and drain lines.
Do I need a separate outdoor unit for every room?
No. A multi-zone outdoor unit can serve several indoor heads. Sometimes two smaller outdoor units work better than one large one, depending on where the rooms are.
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