Feeling Good in Gustavus

If you have a MRCOOL® DIY® Ductless Mini-Split, you’re probably aware that the system has the capability to keep you comfortable and cozy all throughout the winter months. Most of our customers are in the contiguous 48 states, but there are more than a few outliers. Mike Taylor, City Council member of Gustavus, Alaska, is one of them. 

Last summer, Taylor installed two 12k BTU DIY® Ductless Mini-Splits in his home – one to cover the older section in his home, and the other to heat and cool his wife’s study, which is located in a separate building on the property. Taylor’s friend, Jim, also installed a 12k BTU system in his home, and so far, all three systems are functioning perfectly. Members of the city of Gustavus, as well as the city itself, are investing in MRCOOL® heat pumps to keep comfortable. Taylor mentions that the city received two 12k BTU DIY® Ductless Mini-Splits for their Disposal and Recycling Center office and a Community Chest building that employees will install.

Gustavus has a population of around 655 people as of 2020.This is a 48% increase in the town’s population in 2010, in which Gustavus was 442 people strong, making the town one of the fastest growing in all of Alaska. According to Taylor, it is a “bush” community, meaning it’s not located on any main roads, so accessing the town can only be done via a daily flight service or a ferry twice a week from Juneau, 55 miles away. Gustavus’ main source of income is in tourism, as it is located at the entrance to Glacier Bay National Park, making it the last stop for many hikers, boaters, and other visitors. With the National Park being a popular destination for camping and wilderness exploration, Gustavus is one of the last locations offering comfortable amenities to passing sightseers. We’re proud that Gustavus has chosen to make MRCOOL® a part of these amenities.

The push behind putting heat pumps in a much colder climate like Gustavus comes primarily from two places: cleaner energy sources and more reliable HVAC technology.

Gustavus is powered by the nearby Falls Creek hydroelectric facility, providing nearly 75% of all of the energy in Gustavus and covering the Glacier Bay National Park Headquarters. This shift toward renewable energy and away from fossil fuels is in itself an incentive to use more efficient sources of comfort, like our MRCOOL® DIY® Ductless Mini-Split. The NARL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Facility in Fairbanks, which is a 6 hour flight north of Gustavus, is also testing a 12k BTU DIY® Ductless Mini-Split. Being so far north, Fairbanks is in a sub-arctic climate and regularly experiences temperatures below zero, especially during the winter months. We are confident that the DIY® will perform well there, and are grateful to have been chosen by the facility in the first place!

Our MRCOOL® DIY® Ductless Mini-Split is a perfect fit for a location like Gustavus, and Mike Taylor’s kind words confirm it. Firstly, the community in Gustavus trusts a system like the DIY® to handle Alaskan temperatures. The 12k BTU DIY® ductless mini-split can heat in -13°F weather at 100% heating capacity, which covers a good percentage of the temperatures throughout the year. Utilizing an incredibly efficient cold climate heat pump system minimizes energy use, allowing the renewable energy source to stretch further than if a less efficient system were being used. The 12k BTU system has a SEER2 of 22.5. It is also an Energy Star certified system, alongside the 18k BTU and 24k BTU systems, meaning there may be a number of tax credits and rebates available to ease any purchasing anxiety. 

Another aspect of our flagship system that is attractive to those living in places like Gustavus is that you can install the system yourself. It may be difficult to schedule or find an HVAC technician in such a small community, so doing it yourself is a great option to improve your overall home comfort. The MRCOOL® DIY® has patented Quick Connect® fittings and a pre-charged line set that doesn’t require a professional in order to install it. You can perform most of the DIY® Ductless mini-split’s installation yourself, but you will need an electrician to connect it to power. An HVAC system that can keep you warm in chilly winter weather that you can install yourself is a must-have for a place like Gustavus.

A town like Gustavus, sitting at the edge of wilderness essentially untouched by civilization and protecting 1,045 glaciers, 600,000 acres of marine ecosystems, and precious wildlife, is full of conservation-minded, self-sufficient citizens. While the MRCOOL® DIY® Ductless Mini-Split is a good fit for nearly every location, it’s a match made in heaven for a place like Gustavus. We’re honored that the people and city would choose and trust in our system to provide them comfort throughout the Alaskan winter. 

For more information on our DIY® Ductless Mini-Split, please visit https://mrcool.com/diy-4th-generation/ or give us a call at 270-366-0457!