Sizing a mini split AC question
I am just starting to look into installing a mini split system in my house. The house is about 1700 sq feet, two stories. This is in NE Massachusetts and I am mostly interested in the cooling function. Given our climate and preferred comfort levels, we actually do not run our window units for an awful lot of the summer, only during the hottest and most humid weather.
We currently cool the place with two 10,000 BTU window units that I am thoroughly sick of installing in the summer and removing in the fall. Hence the mini spit idea. I know that these are pretty undersized for the space I am cooling, but it has worked just fine for the almost 40 years we have lived here.
The arrangement of the house is such that heated or cooled air can move easily between the upper and lower floors. The individual bedrooms stay comfortable so long as we leave the doors open during the day. By evening, it's typically comfortable enough to sleep.
looking at a few of the DIY options out there, would a split unit of say 24,000 BTU (a bit more than 2X what I have with my window units) be a reasonable approach? Also, any thoughts on favorite brands to consider or avoid?
Any insight would be appreciated.
Thanks