Can fan coils in combination with a Daiken Altherma heat pump adaquately dehumidify in NC?
I’m excited about what appears to the emergence of air-to-water heat pumps at extremely high efficiencies. This surely is the answer for many of us who have struggled to combine radiant heat and AC and strive for simplicity.
Can a fan-coil running on the Daiken Atherma provide adaquate dehumidification? How cold is the refrigerant loop on a typical mini-split? and why is it inherently better at dehumidifying?
How does the cost of this system compare to a typical mini-split system excluding the cost of any radiant floor system? Let’s just say for comparison sake: a mini-split with three consoles versus the Daiken Altherma or similar with three fan coils? Will the Altherma be much more?
If these products prove to be dependable I think we might all be quite familiar with them in the near future.
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Replies
Samuel,
Many of your questions should be directed to a technical rep from Daikin, the manufacturer of the Altherma.
Here's the big stumbling block for me: two GBA readers have shared information on the cost of an Altherma system. Mike O'Brien was quoted $22,000 to install an Altherma in his house, while Nick Lehto was quoted $36,000 to install an Altherma system in his 1,800-square-foot house. Big numbers.
If you're interested in cooling and dehumidification performance, why not stick with a ductless minisplit? Their efficiency and performance specs are great, and they cost a fraction of the cost of an Altherma.