A Connecticut homeowner who swapped heating oil for two mini-splits logged four straight winters of electricity use, and their energy usage stayed pretty consistent.
Here's what to know
In their post in r/HeatPumps, the original poster explained that a 2017 shift to an "all solar/electric" setup involved installing two 12,000-BTU single-zone mini-splits: a Gree Sapphire and a Midea Premier.
Each was listed at 30.5 SEER and 14 HSPF.
For heating alone, the home used 3,125 kWh in 2022, 2,995 kWh in 2023, 3,091 kWh in 2024, and 3,244 kWh in 2025.
The OP compared those totals with heating degree day data from New Haven, Connecticut, and the results stayed within a narrow band of 0.65 to 0.72 kWh per heating degree day.
For homeowners trying to make sense of similar upgrade math, Palmetto's Comfort Plan network can explain efficient HVAC and heat pump options, help you slash your energy bills, and connect you with vetted installers.
"Its incredible how they essentially use the same amount of electricity/hdd every winter," the OP observed. A commenter concurred.
"Thats a fine data set," a commenter concurred. "The consistency year to year is what jumps out, especially with how much load that downstairs unit is pulling."
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More background
The home is a 1958 split-level measuring 1,600 square feet, and it had already been improved with air sealing, insulation, new windows and doors, and basement foundation insulation.
Before the upgrade, the previous owner burned about 800 gallons of heating oil per year.
"The insulation and air sealing helped big time but even without it and you doubled my electric usage, it's still massively cheaper than $6 heating oil," the OP added in a comment.
Another Reddit user stated, "Two separate mini-splits are a very practical option for many home HVAC conversions, especially with leaking and/or undersized ducts in unconditioned spaces."
What can be done?
The advice people gave boiled down to taking steps to improve the building envelope of a space, install efficient equipment, and measure performance.
On day-to-day operation, the OP said the units are set to 70 degrees and run "pretty much 24/7 mostly at lower modulation using a few hundred watts."
When the thread turned to how the heating numbers were isolated from the rest of the home's electricity use, the OP indicated they used "an Emporia Vue energy monitor."
Homeowners evaluating those kinds of upgrades can look to Palmetto's Comfort Plan network.
If you're not ready to spend up front, the Comfort Plan includes $0-down options that can lower your heating and cooling costs by up to 50% — and it includes 12 years of free maintenance.
For households going further with electrification, pairing solar panels with efficient appliances like heat pumps can drive utility costs even lower. EnergySage makes it easy to find the best solar system and installer for your home and budget, saving you up to $10,000 on installations.
Ultimately, the OP had zero regrets.
"My yearly utility cost for my all solar/electric house is just the $9.62 minimum connection charge from Eversource. Was one of the best investments I ever made," they revealed.
Where can I learn more?
If you're weighing mini-splits or a move otherwise away from pricey oil, learning about what other people have done could help with making that decision.
• In Connecticut, one homeowner said a mini-split could save 200 gallons of heating oil.
• In Maine, heat pumps changed the home heating game for many oil-reliant households.
• New research suggests 9 in 10 households are missing out on major heat-pump savings.
• Researchers say efficient electric heating could shave $350 off homeowners' bills each year.
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