Heat Pump?
We are considering installing a Fujitsu 4 ton heat pump but we are limited in where we can place the unit. We are concerned about the potential noise and whether it may negatively impact our enjoyment of precious little outdoor space we have.
Our only options are to place the unit by the living room window, next to patio or in front of a deck. All of these places are frequently used by us for all seasons.
I would love to hear about your experience with heat pump and how noisy it actually is. Thank you.
Sep 1, 2022
Parent Replies
We got a Mitsubishi installed by Heirloom heating. Mike helped us with the ideal location on our house. It happens to be away from places that we hang out in the yard but it's near our trash bins so I'm out there frequently. It's very quiet. I've noticed the neighbors window AC is a lot louder than the heat pump. We got fresh attic and wall insulation around the same time and our house heats up quick and stays warm. The AC function is very cold and also seems to work quickly. From your description I would probably choose putting it next to the living room window. Even though it's quiet, it is bulky and blows out air. I wouldn't want to sit in front of it. We love love love our heat pump. You won't regret it.
We just installed a 3 ton heat pump ( mainly for AC) ~2’ under our redwood deck and can barely hear it when standing directly over it. We have to really listen for it otherwise don’t notice it. I’d say it’s less about the noise than the space it takes if your space is limited. Good luck!
We have a mitsubishi unit that is very quiet. We installed it outside the kids' bedroom windows attached to the side of the house (2nd floor), and I was worried it would be noisy for them in their rooms but you really can barely hear it. The only time I do hear it is if three or four of the units are on at once, there is a bit of a hum when in the dining room as it's attached on the outside of that wall. This wouldn't be an issue for you if it is going to be installed on the ground. I would probably choose outside the living room window. If you would like to come take a listen to ours, PM me.
Howdy folks, I installed a heat pump driven ductless mini-split system a year ago. My unit is only 1.5 tons, and drives two "head units" (the indoor, in-room blower units) to provide AC to two rooms (and heat, if desired). So not an apples-to-apples comparison, but my 1.5 ton unit doesn't create a lot of noise. When both inside blowers are running on AC, at about 1/2+ fan speed, the sound of the outdoor compressor is like a floor-stand fan, just a white noise sound of blowing. There's no rumble or engine sound, just a sound like a running fan / air blowing sound. Totally aware this isn't a perfect comparison to a 4 ton unit which may be cooling an entire house, but there it is. Best of luck.
The decibel rating can be found in the specs - look up the particular proposed model, and you will find the dB rating.
But I'm wondering who suggested a FOUR - ton unit! That's really huge for Berkeley. Unless you have a huge home, and/or it's really badly insulated (in which case, remedy that, first), you might want to get a few more folks to come give proposals.
I am the OP. Thank you everyone for your feedback. We finished installation and I am happy to report that it is quiet when running the AC and much more quiet than our old gas powered HVAC system. We will see how the heating sounds. Thank you!