As Herb Craddock found out, there are many unique uses for ductless air conditioning and heating. In the spring of 2002, Craddock enclosed the 300-square-foot screened porch on the back of his house in Charlottesville, Va. One unbearable summer later, in the spring of 2003, Herb and his wife, June, started searching for a cooling and heating solution for the enclosed porch, otherwise referred to as the Florida room. Even with a ceiling fan, it was uncomfortable in the summer, and it was much too cold in the winter.
In this particular application, Barclay recommended a Mr. Slim® Model MSZ12UN from Mitsubishi Electric HVAC. According to the company, the unit features inverter compressor technology, consisting of a variable-frequency drive, designed to use less energy while still maintaining precise temperature set point. What's more, the MSZ12UN heat pump system meets the new U.S. Department of Energy's 13 SEER requirements, which take effect Jan. 23, 2006.