A New Way to Cool Your Attic – Powered Attic Mini-Split Heat Pumps

Powered Attic Ventilator Mini Split Heat Pump 2

Move over powered attic ventilator. There’s a new boss in town. For decades, concerned homeowners have looked for ways to keep their attics cool: gable vents, ridge vents, turtlebacks and whirlybirds. Then they moved from passive to active and latched onto the powered attic ventilator. Now we don’t have to settle for a technology that pulls conditioned air up from the house.

That’s right, folks. Keeping your attic cool is a perfect application for the mini-split heat pump. The Ginzu Corporation, which makes the sharpest air conditioners in the world, has just introduced a new line of powered attic mini-split heat pumps, affectionately referred to as PAMS.

The biggest advantages of using ductless PAMS are:

  • Unlike powered attic ventilators (PAVs), PAMS won’t pull conditioned air from your house. And they don’t need to because they make conditioned air right in your attic, where it’s needed!
  • Ductless PAMS have no ducts…and thus no duct losses. Ducts in attics are a really bad idea because they waste so much energy.
  • In winter, they can make ice-dam-preventing strip heaters unnecessary. Automatically set to heat in winter as well as cool in summer, PAMS will keep the roof so warm that snow will melt immediately and never get a chance to form ice dams.

PAMS work great with Celluloaf insulation, too!

To give you a feel for how sharp they are, Ginzu is offering you a 7 piece set of ductless PAMS at a special introductory price. Call now, though, and you can get a 10 piece set for the price of 7 and have your attic pre-chilled before summer even starts.

But don’t wait! This special offer is good today only.

Note: Happy April Fool’s Day! Please don’t actually try using mini-splits to cool your attic in summer or to prevent ice dams.

 

Allison A. Bailes III, PhD is a speaker, writer, building science consultant, and the founder of Energy Vanguard in Decatur, Georgia. He has a doctorate in physics and writes the Energy Vanguard Blog. He also has a book on building science coming out in the fall of 2022. You can follow him on Twitter at @EnergyVanguard.

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This Post Has 42 Comments

  1. And I just forwarded your
    And I just forwarded your blog to someone and told them you are an expert I trust.

  2. I’m REALLY disappointed that
    I’m REALLY disappointed that you felt the need to explicitly remind us of April Fools Day!&nbsp; <br />&nbsp; <br />Couldn’t you have let the baited hook float for a day or so?

  3. LOL! I almost spit out my
    LOL! I almost spit out my coffee! That was a good one, Allison!!

  4. Ok – you had me going for at
    Ok – you had me going for at least 20 seconds. Happy April Fools day!

  5. I’m ready to buy when they
    I’m ready to buy when they come out with the solar powered one. I’ll buy 7 and throw 5 away since they’re such a good deal. And, so much less cost and mess than encapsulating the attic.&nbsp; <br />

  6. Very nice Allison! Sadly I
    Very nice Allison! Sadly I do have some homes that could see large savings if they used a ductless to heat their attics to melt snow rather than the miles of snow melt cable they have! $500 worth of electric heat at $0.07/kWh to melt ice dams! I’d love to see the builders who installed the snow melt cable come back and fix the issue out of their own pocket.

  7. From now on I’ll only go into
    From now on I’ll only go into attics that are conditioned.&nbsp; <br />Actually I’ve been in many unintentionally conditioned attics, but that’s a topic for another day.&nbsp; <br />No longer will I have to keep a dry shirt in the van. My laundry energy use will decrease and my customers won’t have to mop the floor when I come out of the attic.&nbsp; <br />All hail Ginzu! At last we can assess attic insulation in comfort.&nbsp; <br />&nbsp; <br />Oh, does it have an air filter to cut down on the dust?

  8. Just about forwarded to a
    Just about forwarded to a client without thinking enough.&nbsp; <br />The Ginzu name caused me to smell trouble.&nbsp; <br />&nbsp; <br />Well played.

  9. You could save money by
    You could save money by buying the AC-only version and building a revolving shelf with the indoor unit mounted on the opposite side of the wall from the outdoor unit. Each spring and fall you could just give it a swing and reverse the direction of heat absorption and transfer. Or, maybe just a window rattler on a lazy Susan? &nbsp; <br />&nbsp; <br />Now we need to get an ARI performance rating standard and an ACCA manual to calculate airflow requirements. And, oh yes, we need to do a WUFI model with the improved boundary conditions to prove its efficacy. &nbsp; <br />&nbsp; <br />But wait…..doesn’t the Turbo Encabulator-Max provide the same functionality with reduced energy consumption?&nbsp; <br />&nbsp; <br />Thanks, Allison!

  10. Allison&nbsp; <br /&gt
    Allison&nbsp; <br />Good one…I did bite hook, &nbsp; <br />line and sinker&nbsp; <br />

  11. I heard that PAMS will also
    I heard that PAMS will also keep Jack-a-lopes out of your attack! Wow, better than the Vegimatic II.

  12. I actually read it!! Thanks
    I actually read it!! Thanks for the smile today.

  13. Careful, the flat earth attic
    Careful, the flat earth attic vent lovers will take this seriously… &nbsp; <br />&nbsp; <br />When the central AC breaks, go sleep on a nice bed of fiberglass! &nbsp; <br />&nbsp; <br />Could put the other end in the pool, turn it into a hot tub with attic heat!&nbsp; <br />

  14. And I just forwarded your
    And I just forwarded your blog to someone and told them you are an expert I trust.

  15. I’m REALLY disappointed that
    I’m REALLY disappointed that you felt the need to explicitly remind us of April Fools Day! 
     
    Couldn’t you have let the baited hook float for a day or so?

  16. LOL! I almost spit out my
    LOL! I almost spit out my coffee! That was a good one, Allison!!

  17. Ok – you had me going for at
    Ok – you had me going for at least 20 seconds. Happy April Fools day!

  18. I’m ready to buy when they
    I’m ready to buy when they come out with the solar powered one. I’ll buy 7 and throw 5 away since they’re such a good deal. And, so much less cost and mess than encapsulating the attic. 

  19. Very nice Allison! Sadly I
    Very nice Allison! Sadly I do have some homes that could see large savings if they used a ductless to heat their attics to melt snow rather than the miles of snow melt cable they have! $500 worth of electric heat at $0.07/kWh to melt ice dams! I’d love to see the builders who installed the snow melt cable come back and fix the issue out of their own pocket.

  21. From now on I’ll only go into
    From now on I’ll only go into attics that are conditioned. 
    Actually I’ve been in many unintentionally conditioned attics, but that’s a topic for another day. 
    No longer will I have to keep a dry shirt in the van. My laundry energy use will decrease and my customers won’t have to mop the floor when I come out of the attic. 
    All hail Ginzu! At last we can assess attic insulation in comfort. 
     
    Oh, does it have an air filter to cut down on the dust?

  22. Just about forwarded to a
    Just about forwarded to a client without thinking enough. 
    The Ginzu name caused me to smell trouble. 
     
    Well played.

  23. You could save money by
    You could save money by buying the AC-only version and building a revolving shelf with the indoor unit mounted on the opposite side of the wall from the outdoor unit. Each spring and fall you could just give it a swing and reverse the direction of heat absorption and transfer. Or, maybe just a window rattler on a lazy Susan?  
     
    Now we need to get an ARI performance rating standard and an ACCA manual to calculate airflow requirements. And, oh yes, we need to do a WUFI model with the improved boundary conditions to prove its efficacy.  
     
    But wait…..doesn’t the Turbo Encabulator-Max provide the same functionality with reduced energy consumption? 
     
    Thanks, Allison!

  24. Guess I need to go back the
    Guess I need to go back the the homeowner from Monday. Inspecting his attic, he told me the fan mottoes to his PAVs were burned out. I told him not the replace the motors. Guess I’ll have to recommend a couple those 10 head PAMS. He will have one question. What happens to a PAMS when you take the attic out?&nbsp; <br />

  25. Allison 

    Allison 
    Good one…I did bite hook,  
    line and sinker 

  26. I heard that PAMS will also
    I heard that PAMS will also keep Jack-a-lopes out of your attack! Wow, better than the Vegimatic II.

  27. I actually read it!! Thanks
    I actually read it!! Thanks for the smile today.

  28. I’m surprised you didn’t sum
    I’m surprised you didn’t sum it up at &nbsp; <br />the end with a condensate pump that&nbsp; <br />would drip 100% pure condensate drinking&nbsp; <br />water. &nbsp; <br />&nbsp; <br />LOL.

  29. Careful, the flat earth attic
    Careful, the flat earth attic vent lovers will take this seriously…  
     
    When the central AC breaks, go sleep on a nice bed of fiberglass!  
     
    Could put the other end in the pool, turn it into a hot tub with attic heat! 

  31. Guess I need to go back the
    Guess I need to go back the the homeowner from Monday. Inspecting his attic, he told me the fan mottoes to his PAVs were burned out. I told him not the replace the motors. Guess I’ll have to recommend a couple those 10 head PAMS. He will have one question. What happens to a PAMS when you take the attic out? 

  32. I’m surprised you didn’t sum
    I’m surprised you didn’t sum it up at  
    the end with a condensate pump that 
    would drip 100% pure condensate drinking 
    water.  
     
    LOL.

  35. Hi Bill,
    Hi Bill,

    I have a question – My 4 bedroom home is a 15 year old colonial @ 2,400 square feet. The attic floor is insulated (the pink stuff). Would it make sense to insulate the attic ceiling to lower the radiant heat before installing a solar powered attic fan.

    With all the conflicting theories about attic fans I&apos;m now more confused about what I need to do than I was 2 weeks ago…..HELP!!

    Tony

  36. Hi Tony,
    Hi Tony,

    Not sure why you&apos;re asking me and not Allison, but I do have an answer for you. I would not recommend insulating the attic ceiling nor would I recommend a solar power attic fan. Here&apos;s what I would recommend instead:

    First, seal all the air leaks between the conditioned space and the attic. One of the (few) good attributes of &quot;he pink stuff&quot; is that it&apos;s relatively easy to pull it aside so that all air leakage sites can be foamed or otherwise air-sealed.

    After the air-sealing is completed beef up the insulation levels on that attic floor with blown insulation (I prefer blown cellulose and I always go beyond code requirements; the marginal costs are small and I don&apos;t want to ever go into this attic again.)

    All that insulation will effectively &quot;decouple&quot; the attic space from the conditioned house below. Do I care if it gets hot up there? Nope, not in the least. There is, however, one important caveat: If you have duct in the attic you do care. But the solution is not to cool that attic but instead to deal with ducts, which shouldn&apos;t be there in the first place.

    Hope this helps.

    Bill

    William W. Hill, Ph.D.
    W. W. Hill &amp; Associates

  37. Hi Bill,
    Hi Bill,

    I have a question – My 4 bedroom home is a 15 year old colonial @ 2,400 square feet. The attic floor is insulated (the pink stuff). Would it make sense to insulate the attic ceiling to lower the radiant heat before installing a solar powered attic fan.

    With all the conflicting theories about attic fans I'm now more confused about what I need to do than I was 2 weeks ago…..HELP!!

    Tony

  38. Hi Tony,
    Hi Tony,

    Not sure why you're asking me and not Allison, but I do have an answer for you. I would not recommend insulating the attic ceiling nor would I recommend a solar power attic fan. Here's what I would recommend instead:

    First, seal all the air leaks between the conditioned space and the attic. One of the (few) good attributes of "he pink stuff" is that it's relatively easy to pull it aside so that all air leakage sites can be foamed or otherwise air-sealed.

    After the air-sealing is completed beef up the insulation levels on that attic floor with blown insulation (I prefer blown cellulose and I always go beyond code requirements; the marginal costs are small and I don't want to ever go into this attic again.)

    All that insulation will effectively "decouple" the attic space from the conditioned house below. Do I care if it gets hot up there? Nope, not in the least. There is, however, one important caveat: If you have duct in the attic you do care. But the solution is not to cool that attic but instead to deal with ducts, which shouldn't be there in the first place.

    Hope this helps.

    Bill

    William W. Hill, Ph.D.
    W. W. Hill & Associates

  39. The whole time I was reading
    The whole time I was reading this article, I was thinking, "This guy is being sarcastic, right?" This was quite hilarious…thanks!

  40. I guess you didn’t look at
    I guess you didn’t look at the date when you started. :~)

  41. The whole time I was reading
    The whole time I was reading this article, I was thinking, “This guy is being sarcastic, right?” This was quite hilarious…thanks!

    1. I guess you didn’t look at
      I guess you didn’t look at the date when you started. :~)

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