# Mini Split Installation in Orchards, WA

> Mini split installation in Orchards, WA: whole-house systems that retire a failing electric furnace, one outdoor unit per floor, Clark County and L&I permits.

URL: https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/service-areas/orchards-wa/

Service area, Washington

Mini split installation in Orchards, WA: whole-house systems that retire a failing electric furnace, one outdoor unit per floor, Clark County and L&I permits.

(971) 458-4515

Last Updated: November 12, 2026

58.8%

of Orchards homes heat with electricity (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year)

1998

median year Orchards homes were built (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year)

Permits

Clark County Community Development (mechanical); Washington L&I (electrical)

Electric utility

Clark Public Utilities

## Rooms that need help in Orchards

### A 1990s electric furnace near the end

More than a third of Orchards homes went up in the 1980s and 1990s, many with electric furnaces now reaching replacement age.

### Every room on its own setting

A head in each main room ends the upstairs-downstairs temperature gap that a single furnace thermostat can't fix.

### Two outdoor units, not one big one

Splitting a two-story house by floor lets each outdoor unit run at its best instead of cycling for one small room.

## When the furnace fails, replace the whole system

When an electric furnace in an Orchards two-story needs a heat strip one winter and a blower the next, it’s time to price what replaces it instead of the next repair.

If yours is one of them, you can replace it with another electric furnace, a ducted heat pump, or a head in each main room. [Firlands Portland Mini Splits](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/) prices all three, and in many Orchards two-stories the room-by-room system wins on comfort and running cost.

Project

## A typical Orchards whole-house conversion

### The problem

The electric furnace's heat strips are failing one by one, the upstairs runs four or five degrees warmer than the main floor all year, and the owner wants the furnace gone rather than repaired.

### The house

Main floor: living room, family room and kitchen. Upstairs: a primary suite and two bedrooms. The ducts run through the attic upstairs and between floors downstairs, and the furnace sits in the garage.

### What we decide, and why

Five heads on two outdoor units, one per floor, so each floor's unit modulates to its own load: 15,000 BTU in the family room and 12,000 in the living room on one, and 12,000 in the primary suite with two 7,000s in the small bedrooms on the other. The furnace comes out completely, and the old ducts are capped.

### The work

Upstairs line sets run through the attic to one stacked cover on the back wall; downstairs ones go straight through the wall. Both outdoor units sit side by side on one pad with the right spacing. Two 240-volt circuits replace the furnace's large one. Five line sets, each pressure-tested and evacuated below 500 microns; five drains, each tested with water.

Two outdoor units cost more than one, but each one runs in its sweet spot instead of one large unit cycling to feed a single small bedroom. The furnace removal frees enough panel capacity that the 200-amp service stays as it is.

### What it changes

Every room has its own temperature, the upstairs stops running warm, and the house qualifies once for Clark Public Utilities' $900 ductless rebate.

Location

Orchards, unincorporated Clark County

House

1994 two-story, about 2,300 square feet, failing electric furnace

Equipment

Five heads on two cold-climate outdoor units (one for each floor)

Price

$21,500, permit fees included

Time on site

4 days, then the final inspections

## The upstairs-downstairs gap

A two-story house with one furnace and one thermostat in the hallway runs warmer upstairs and cooler down, in every season.

Warm air rises, the upstairs gets the sun through the roof, and the ducts to the far bedrooms are the longest. The furnace answers to the thermostat downstairs, so the upstairs overheats while it runs. Heads put each room on its own control, so the gap closes. [Whole-house mini split](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/whole-house-mini-split/) explains the layout.

## How many heads an Orchards house needs

We count heads by how the rooms are used and how open they are, not by floor area alone.

| Space | Typical plan |
| --- | --- |
| Open family room and kitchen | One head, sized for the largest load in the house |
| Formal living room | One head, or shared with the family room if open to it |
| Primary suite | One head |
| Two small bedrooms | One small head each, or a hall head with doors open |
| Bathrooms and laundry | Usually a small baseboard as backup |

Five heads is common for a 2,000-plus square foot two-story. [How many mini splits do I need?](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/guide/how-many-mini-splits-do-i-need/) has the method, and [mini split sizing](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/guide/mini-split-sizing/) explains the load calculation behind each number.

## One outdoor unit per floor

On a two-story Orchards house, we often split the system by floor, with one outdoor unit for the downstairs heads and one for the upstairs.

### Why split it

- each unit runs at a steady, efficient speed for its floor’s load
- a small bedroom head doesn’t force a large unit to cycle
- if one needs service, the other floor still has heat

### What it takes

Two outdoor units cost more than one, and they need two circuits and twice the clearance. They usually sit side by side on one pad behind the house. [Single-zone vs multi-zone](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/guide/single-zone-vs-multi-zone-mini-split/) covers the trade-off.

## The panel and the old furnace circuit

Taking the electric furnace out frees more electrical capacity than a whole-house heat pump uses, so an Orchards panel often needs no upgrade.

An electric furnace draws a large circuit for its heat strips. Two heat pump outdoor units together typically draw less, and we confirm that with a load check at the visit.

### If the panel still falls short

If the panel still comes up short, the estimate shows a service upgrade; Firlands’ typical range for one is $2,500 to $6,000. Under Washington’s rules, the new circuits are electrical-contractor work, as [mini split electrical requirements](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/guide/mini-split-electrical-requirements/) explains.

## Three ways to replace the furnace

Before you commit to heads in every room, it’s worth putting the three options side by side.

| Option | What you get | What it costs you |
| --- | --- | --- |
| New electric furnace | Same comfort as today, same resistance-heat bill | Lowest upfront, highest running cost |
| Ducted heat pump or [ducted mini split](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/ducted-mini-split-installation/) | Heat-pump efficiency through the ducts you have, one thermostat | Mid-range; the upstairs-downstairs gap stays |
| Heads in each main room | Heat-pump efficiency and room-by-room control | Highest upfront, lowest running cost |

The written estimate can price more than one option, so you can compare them on paper before anything is ordered.

## Sizing for the cold and the heat

We size each head to its room’s load at Clark County’s 28°F design low and check the outdoor units’ published output colder than that.

Upstairs heads also get checked against summer: the county’s cooling design figure is 88°F, and a west-facing bedroom under the roof gets a little extra margin. A small baseboard left in each bathroom covers the odd ice-storm night. [Do mini splits work in cold weather?](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/guide/do-mini-splits-work-in-cold-weather/) explains low-temperature output.

## Permits from Clark County and L&I

Orchards is unincorporated Clark County, so the county handles the mechanical permit and Washington L&I the electrical one.

| Permit | Covers | Issued by |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mechanical | Heads, outdoor units, line sets, drains | Clark County Community Development |
| Electrical | New circuits, furnace circuit removal | Washington L&I |

Clark County doesn’t issue electrical permits; it sends that work to L&I. Permit fees are in our price, and we meet both inspectors for the finals.

## One rebate per home

Clark Public Utilities pays $900 toward a ductless heat pump that replaces permanently installed electric heat, and an electric furnace qualifies.

It’s paid once per home, however many heads there are. The house has to be one you own and live in, the equipment rated HSPF2 7.5 or higher, and the installer from the utility’s contractor network, which is how we schedule Clark County work. We confirm the current terms before the estimate is final.

## Five heads, four days

A whole-house job in Orchards usually runs four days on site, then the final inspections.

1. **Day one.** Outdoor units set on their pad; downstairs heads mounted and lines run straight through the wall.
2. **Day two.** Upstairs lines routed through the attic to one stacked cover on the back wall.
3. **Day three.** Circuits, disconnects and the furnace removal.
4. **Day four.** Five pressure tests, five vacuums held below 500 microns, five drains tested with water, startup and a walk-through.

## Orchards prices

Firlands’ typical range for a whole-home system with five or more heads is $15,000 to $30,000 and up; three or four heads run $9,000 to $18,000 and up.

The written estimate lists each head and capacity, both outdoor units, routes, drains, circuits, permits and exclusions. The [cost estimator](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/tools/mini-split-cost-estimator/) gives a first range, and [what a mini split does to your electric bill](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/guide/mini-split-electric-bill/) shows the savings side.

## Services in Orchards

- [Service**Whole-house systems** Whole house mini split installation: every room heated and cooled by ductless heads, planned as one system with a winter backup plan.](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/whole-house-mini-split/)
- [Service**Multi-zone installation** Multi zone mini split installation: two to five rooms on one outdoor unit, each head sized to its own room and set to its own temperature.](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/multi-zone-mini-split-installation/)
- [Service**Concealed ducted** Ducted mini split installation: a slim air handler hidden in the attic or knee wall, feeding two or three rooms through small grilles.](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/ducted-mini-split-installation/)
- [Service**Baseboard to mini split** Replace baseboard heat with a mini split: ductless heads take over in the rooms that use the most heat, and add cooling.](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/baseboard-heat-to-mini-split/)
- [Service**Cleaning and maintenance** Mini split cleaning in Portland: deep cleans for musty or weak heads, and a yearly visit that keeps filters, coils and drains clear.](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/mini-split-cleaning-maintenance/)

## How a job usually runs in Orchards

### The call

You tell us the rooms and send a few photos; we give a rough range.

### The visit

We measure each room, look at the walls, the panel and where the outdoor unit can go.

### The estimate

A written estimate: each head, the line-set route, drains, circuit, permits and price.

### Install and handover

Pressure test, vacuum, startup, a walk-through, and the permits closed out.

## Neighborhoods, landmarks and routes

- Orchards
- Sifton
- Five Corners
- NE 112th Avenue corridor
- Fourth Plain east

### Landmarks

- Vancouver Mall area to the southwest
- Burnt Bridge Creek
- Fourth Plain and NE 117th Avenue crossroads

### Getting around

- SR-500 through the middle
- NE Fourth Plain Boulevard
- NE 117th Avenue (SR-503)
- I-205 to the west
- NE 112th Avenue

[Open Orchards, Washington in Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Orchards%2C%20Washington)

## Orchards: questions

### What does a whole-house mini split cost in Orchards?

Firlands' typical range for a whole-home system with five or more heads is $15,000 to $30,000 and up, set by the room-by-room load. Three or four heads run $9,000 to $18,000 and up. Permit fees are included; your written estimate sets the price.

### Why use two outdoor units on an Orchards two-story?

Each floor has a different load, and a large single outdoor unit has to run hard for one small bedroom. One unit per floor keeps each running in its efficient range, and if one needs service, the other floor still has heat.

### Do I need a bigger electrical panel for a whole-house mini split?

Usually not, when the electric furnace comes out. A furnace's large circuit frees more capacity than two heat pump circuits use. We do a load check at the visit; when a panel does need a service upgrade, Firlands' typical range is $2,500 to $6,000.

### Can I get the Clark Public Utilities rebate for every head?

No. The utility pays $900 once per home for a ductless system that replaces permanently installed electric heat, whether it has one head or six. An owner-occupied Orchards house with an electric furnace qualifies.

### What happens to the old ducts after a whole-house mini split?

We cap them at the furnace location and leave them in place, or seal them for a future ducted unit. Removing ducts from walls and floors does more damage than leaving them, and capped ducts don't affect the heat pump.

## Nearby service areas

- [Washington**Five Corners** Mini split installation in Five Corners, WA: wall heads or a ducted air handler for 1970s ranches on old electric furnaces, with Clark County and L&I permits.](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/service-areas/five-corners-wa/)
- [Washington**Minnehaha** Mini split installation in Minnehaha, WA: heat pumps for ceiling-cable and baseboard homes, Clark County and L&I permits, and the $900 utility ductless rebate.](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/service-areas/minnehaha-wa/)
- [Washington**Vancouver** Mini split installation in Vancouver, WA: baseboards and wall heaters replaced room by room, City of Vancouver permits, and the Clark Public Utilities rebate.](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/service-areas/vancouver-wa/)

## Guides for houses in Orchards

- [Learn**How many mini splits do I need?** Count the rooms you close a door on, not the square feet. Then group the heads onto outdoor units.](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/guide/how-many-mini-splits-do-i-need/)
- [Learn**How do you size a mini split for a Portland room?** Mini split sizing in BTUs: design temperatures, the load calculation, and why two rooms the same size can need very different heads.](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/guide/mini-split-sizing/)
- [Decision Guide**Single zone vs multi zone mini split: which should you choose?** One outdoor unit per room, or one outdoor unit for several rooms, and why the answer isn't always the cheaper one.](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/guide/single-zone-vs-multi-zone-mini-split/)
- [Learn**How much will a mini split add to my electric bill?** Running costs worked out from PGE, Pacific Power and NW Natural rates, against baseboards and a gas furnace.](https://firlandsportlandminisplits.com/guide/mini-split-electric-bill/)

## Get an estimate in Orchards

Tell us which rooms aren't working and where the house is in Orchards.

(971) 458-4515