Mini Split Installation - how to seal the wall penetration

[Tim M Tuttle]

I am installing my mini and was wondering how I should go about sealing he wall penetration. It's a 2x4 stud wall with lap wood siding. I have a lineset cover on the outside. Should silicone around the lineset cover and call it good?

Thanks

[Jim Becker]

If it's not addressed in the instructions, I'd probably contact the manufacturer to get their specific recommendations. I suspect that the silicone is the right product, however, since it generally remains flexible.

I'm interested in learning more about your install process...how it went, and so forth...as I'm considering doing the same for my shop sometime this year. I cannot continue to heat with resistive electric with the amount of time I'm spending in my shop at this point and heat pumps are generally efficient in our area. (while I have gas on the property, it would be difficult to get it physically to the shop building at this point for reasons I'll not go into) A mini-split would essentially handle all the heating (maybe with a little assistance if we have any of those "polar vortexes") and also replace my small, window AC which isn't large enough for the size of my shop anyway.

[Tim M Tuttle]

If it's not addressed in the instructions, I'd probably contact the manufacturer to get their specific recommendations. I suspect that the silicone is the right product, however, since it generally remains flexible.

I'm interested in learning more about your install process...how it went, and so forth...as I'm considering doing the same for my shop sometime this year. I cannot continue to heat with resistive electric with the amount of time I'm spending in my shop at this point and heat pumps are generally efficient in our area. (while I have gas on the property, it would be difficult to get it physically to the shop building at this point for reasons I'll not go into) A mini-split would essentially handle all the heating (maybe with a little assistance if we have any of those "polar vortexes") and also replace my small, window AC which isn't large enough for the size of my shop anyway.

The instructions for this unit aren't the greatest and they mention nothing about sealing us the line set penetration. I've got an HVAC that is going to do the final connections so I'll probably just ask him when he's here and I can go back and seal everything.

I'll have a video of the whole process in a couple of weeks!

[Robert Zschoche]

Tim,

I installed a Mitsubishi mini-split in my shop last summer. I work part time for an HVAC contractor so one of our techs did the installation and I helped so I could get a beter understanding about the equipment we sell and install. I will follow up tomorrow with the name of the product we used to seal the lineset penetration through the brick wall. It is a sticky tape product that is fairly easy to roll around the lineset and pack in the void , and then it gradually firms up and effects a permanent seal. I used an expanding foam made by Sika, shot from inside the house, to fill in the wall cavity.

[Robert Zschoche]

Tim, I was going to look up the specific brand we buy tomorrow but here is a product that is the same kind of thing and would get you started with whatever is available where you live.

http://www.kflexusa.com/downloads/Te...ork%20Tape.pdf

[Mike Hollingsworth]

I used foam from Home Depot
foam.jpg

[Bill Dufour]

Another vote for spray foam on a outside wall.
I installed one on a inside wall in our bedroom. For that I used a swim noddle because I tried the sleeves and they split the seams open while trying to push them down the cavity. Just to be sure I poured perlite into the cavity after the sleeve to make sure the bottom was insulated where it touched the bottom of the cavity. I ran the cable separate from the sleeve to make pulling easier since I was pulling 48' of copper tubing in one piece with no joints.
Bill D
.

[Joe. Rivera]

you're using the speedy channel line set cover ? I'd go with Silkaflex to seal the penetration hole

DOC31952_web_1x1.jpg

[Bob Bouis]

Spray foam works, but there's a playdough-like sealer that's often used for this. It's easier and cleaner to remove later if necessary.

[tom lucas]

Use duct seal or mastic. The duct seal is cheaper and easily replaced. Duct seal is also paintable. Mastic seals better but is a bit harder to work with. Both should be available at local big box store.

Some use gutter pipe to conceal plumbing on outside of house, if you have that situation.