Compared two heat pump brands side by side in my Nashville house and one was way quieter

I've got a 1950s house in Nashville with no ductwork so I had to go with mini splits. Last year I put a Gree unit in the living room and this year I installed a Mitsubishi in the master bedroom. The difference is night and day. The Gree sounds like a window AC from 1995 when it's running full blast, you can hear it from the kitchen. The Mitsubishi is so quiet I have to check the remote to make sure it's on. Both cool the same size rooms to 68 degrees no problem. But the noise difference alone makes the Mitsubishi worth the extra money, especially for sleeping. Has anyone else noticed big brand differences in heat pump noise levels?

3 comments

3 Comments

bennett.evan3d ago

I read somewhere Mitsubishi has been doing heat pumps since the 70s, that's probably why they've got the quiet tech figured out.

vera_johnson93d ago

My buddy actually had one of those old Mitsubishi units from the 80s in his garage, and @bennett.evan is right about the quiet thing - that thing barely made a sound compared to his newer Trane. He finally replaced it last year after the compressor finally gave out, but only because parts got impossible to find. Kinda wild that it lasted over 30 years just running in a dusty garage.

wyatt_mitchell263d ago

It's funny you mention how quiet those old Mitsubishis were... I've noticed something about that. The newer units are actually quieter on paper with their dB ratings, but they make a different kind of noise. That old 80s unit had a low, steady hum that blended into the background, like white noise almost. The newer ones have these higher pitched tones that cut through everything, especially when the compressor kicks on. Makes me wonder if we traded one kind of noise for another in the name of efficiency.