Mini Split Installation in Taos, NM
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Ten months of heat, and cold enough to matter
Homes here need heat from September through June, ten months a year. Winter nights average 14°F from December through February, and a mini-split heat pump has to pull warmth out of air that cold, night after night, most of the year. Summer afternoons only average 76°F, so cooling barely factors into the work it does.
A new mini-split installed today has to meet the federal minimum for a split-system heat pump, 14.3 SEER2 for cooling and 7.5 HSPF2 for heating. In a place where cooling is rarely needed, the heating side of that rating is the one that matters.
- 10 months
- September through June, your system heats
- 14°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 76°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
New Mexico requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
The Construction Industries Division tests HVAC contractors before it licenses them, and it keeps a record of who holds one. That license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job, so the same license that covers a furnace swap covers your mini-split install.
Because the contractor is licensed by the state, that license is what stands behind the work on your mini-split. In most cities and counties the job also needs a permit from the local building office, and an inspector checks the work once it's done.
Source: New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department
- Is a mini split worth it?
- For a Taos home, yes, especially if you're heating a room that isn't on the furnace's ductwork or one that runs cold. Winter lows here average 14°F, so look for a mini split rated for cold climates, since some heat pumps lose capacity once temperatures drop that low. Cold-climate models keep producing heat well below freezing, which matters here since homes need heat running 10 months of the year. A contractor can look at the room or rooms you want covered and tell you what size unit does the job.
- How many rooms can a mini split cover?
- A single outdoor unit can run one indoor head or several, so the room count depends on which setup you install. One indoor head heats and cools the room it's mounted in. If you need several rooms covered, a multi-zone system runs multiple heads off one outdoor unit, and each head is controlled on its own. A contractor can size the system to the rooms you want covered and the layout of the house.
- Can a mini split heat a whole house?
- It can, but it depends on how many rooms need coverage and how the house is laid out. A multi-zone mini split puts an indoor head in each room or area, and each one heats independently, so a whole house can run on mini splits alone. Given how cold winters get here, with lows averaging 14°F from December through February, a cold-climate mini split is the right choice if it's going to carry the heating load through those months. A contractor can walk the house and say whether a whole-house mini split setup makes sense for the rooms you have.