A ductless mini split cools a room or zone without any ductwork. An outdoor condenser connects to one or more indoor heads through a small refrigerant line set, a drain line and a control cable that pass through a hole about three inches wide. Because nothing runs through the attic, you skip the duct losses that cost so many South Florida homes cooling they paid for.
That makes mini splits the practical fix for spaces a central system handles poorly: the converted garage, the Florida room that bakes every afternoon, the upstairs bedroom that never gets below 78, or the older condo with no room for ducts. Sunshine State HVAC installs, repairs and maintains single zone and multi zone systems from all major brands for homes and light commercial spaces across Broward, Palm Beach and Miami Dade.
Our licensed HVAC technicians give you a clear quote before any work begins, whether you're adding a new zone or chasing down a head that drips on the wall. Call (954) 800-2561 or use the Book an Appointment form. We're open 7 days a week, 7am to 11pm, with same day service when available.
Where a mini split makes sense in a South Florida home
The best candidates are spaces with a clear boundary and a heat problem. Room additions and garage conversions usually were never tied into the original ducts, and extending a duct run from an already stretched air handler tends to starve the rest of the house. A dedicated head gives that room its own cooling without touching the main system.
Sunrooms and west facing rooms with lots of glass are another common fit. They pick up far more heat than the rest of the home, so a central thermostat in the hallway never sees what you're feeling. With a mini split, that room gets its own setpoint and the main system stops overworking to compensate.
Mini splits also work in older condos and homes with no ductwork at all, or where the ducts are too damaged to be worth saving. If your home already has sound ducts and one system serves it well, a central replacement is often the better value, and we'll say so when that's the case.
Signs your mini split needs repair
Water dripping from the indoor head is the call we get most. It usually means the condensate line is clogged, the drain pan is full of slime, or the head isn't level. In our humidity a mini split pulls a lot of water out of the air, so a small clog turns into a wet wall fast.
A musty smell when the unit starts, or black specks blowing out of the vents, points to mold on the blower wheel and coil. That wheel sits right behind the louvers and stays damp, so growth builds up even when you wash the filters. Weak airflow and a unit that runs constantly without cooling often trace back to the same buildup.
Other warning signs include a blinking light or error code, ice on the copper lines, an outdoor unit that won't start, a remote that stops responding, or a system that cycles on and off every few minutes. Write down any code you see before you call, since it tells the technician where to start.
How a new installation works, step by step
It starts with a site visit. The technician sizes each zone based on square footage, sun exposure, windows, insulation and how you use the room, then picks head locations that throw air across the space instead of at your bed or desk. We also decide where the outdoor unit goes, whether on a pad, a wall bracket or a rooftop, and how the line set will be routed.
You then get a written quote with the equipment, the number of zones and the scope of work. Once you approve it, we pull any permit your city or county building department requires and schedule the install.
On install day the crew mounts the indoor head bracket, cores the wall, and runs the line set, drain line and communication cable, usually inside a paintable line hide cover on the exterior. The outdoor unit is set and secured, and the electrical disconnect is wired.
Before any refrigerant is released, the lines are pressure tested with nitrogen and pulled into a deep vacuum to remove air and moisture, which matters a lot in a humid climate. Then the system is started, checked for proper temperature drop and drainage, and the technician walks you through the remote and its modes.
Humidity, salt air and hurricane season
Most mini splits use inverter compressors that slow down instead of shutting off. Running longer at low speed is good for humidity control, because the coil stays cold and keeps pulling moisture out. That only works if the unit is sized correctly. An oversized head cools the room quickly and stops, leaving it cold and clammy, so we size for moisture removal as well as temperature.
Near the coast, salt air attacks outdoor coils and fasteners. For homes east of I 95 and along the Intracoastal, such as in Delray Beach, we look at condenser placement away from direct spray, consider coated coils, and recommend rinsing the outdoor unit with fresh water every few months.
For hurricane season, outdoor units should be anchored to their pad or bracket the way local code requires, and set high enough to stay clear of standing water. Before a storm, switch the unit off at the disconnect. After the power comes back, wait for it to stabilize before restarting, and have the system checked if the outdoor unit took debris or water.
Single zone vs. multi zone, and choosing indoor heads
A single zone system pairs one outdoor unit with one indoor head. It's the simplest and usually the most efficient setup, and each room runs completely on its own. If one system fails, the rest of the house is unaffected.
A multi zone system runs several heads from one outdoor condenser. That means fewer units outside, which helps with small lots, condo balconies and HOA appearance rules. The tradeoff is that every zone depends on that one condenser, and sizing gets more involved because the zones share capacity.
Indoor units come in several styles: wall mounted heads, ceiling cassettes that sit flush in the drywall, slim ducted units hidden above a soffit, and floor consoles for rooms with low windows. Most mini splits are heat pumps, so they also heat on the handful of cool winter mornings we get. Our heat pump services page covers how that heating side works.
What drives the cost of a mini split project
The biggest factors are the number of zones and the capacity each one needs. Head style matters too, since ceiling cassettes and concealed ducted units take more labor than a wall mounted head. Higher SEER2 efficiency ratings cost more up front but use less electricity over the life of the system, which adds up on FPL bills when a unit runs most of the year.
Installation conditions change the scope. A long or complicated line set route, coring through concrete block instead of frame walls, a rooftop condenser, a condensate pump where there's no gravity drain, or a new electrical circuit and panel capacity all affect the price. So do permit requirements and line hide covers.
On repairs, cost depends on what failed. A clogged drain line is a different job from a failed fan motor, control board or sensor, and refrigerant leaks take time to locate before they can be repaired. Whatever it is, we diagnose first and give you a clear price before any work begins.
Condo and HOA considerations
Many South Florida condos have strict rules about anything that touches the building envelope. Coring an exterior wall can require association approval, and buildings with post tensioned concrete slabs often require scanning or an engineer's sign off before anyone drills. We'll find out what your building requires before we schedule.
Outdoor unit placement is the other big issue. Some associations allow condensers on balconies, others require rooftop or designated mechanical areas, and many have rules about noise, visibility and how line sets are covered. Multi zone systems can reduce the number of outdoor units, which sometimes makes approval easier.
Property managers often ask for the contractor's license information, a scope of work and permit details before approving work. We can provide that paperwork so the approval process doesn't hold up your project.
Keeping a mini split clean and running right
The washable filters behind the front panel should be rinsed every two to four weeks when the unit runs daily, which is most of the year here. Let them dry before you put them back. Keep the outdoor unit clear of plants, mulch and stored items so it can move air.
Filters don't protect the blower wheel and coil completely. Over time, dust and moisture build up behind the louvers and lead to odors, drips and weaker airflow. A professional deep cleaning uses a drain bag around the head so the coil and blower wheel can be flushed in place without making a mess of the room.
We recommend having mini splits checked as part of your regular AC maintenance, including the condensate line, refrigerant operation, electrical connections and the outdoor coil.
Mini split FAQs
Can a mini split cool a whole house? Yes, with a multi zone system or several single zone systems, though it works best in homes with defined rooms. In open, ducted homes, central air is often simpler.
How loud are they? Indoor heads are generally quieter than a central system's supply vents, and the outdoor unit is quieter than most conventional condensers because the compressor slows down instead of cycling hard.
Do I need a permit? New installations usually require one through your city or county building department. We handle the permit as part of the job.
Can you work on a unit someone else installed? Yes. We service all major brands, whether or not we installed the system. If you're ready to get started, you can book an appointment online.
What we ask when you call
Expect a few quick questions so the right technician shows up prepared: whether this is a new install or a problem with an existing unit, how many rooms you want to cool, whether you live in a house or a condo, and roughly where the outdoor unit could go. If something is broken, tell us the brand and any error code or blinking light pattern. A photo of the indoor head and the outdoor unit's data plate helps us bring the right parts.
Booking around your schedule
We book appointments 7 days a week between 7am and 11pm, so you don't have to take a weekday off to meet a technician. You can call or submit the Book an Appointment form with your address and a preferred window, and we'll confirm the time with you. Same day visits are available on many days, especially for units that are leaking or not cooling.
Your quote comes first
Nothing gets drilled, mounted or replaced until you've seen the price and agreed to it. For new systems, the quote spells out the equipment, each zone and head location, where the outdoor unit goes and what permit work is included. For repairs, the technician explains what failed and what it takes to fix it so you can decide with the full picture.