Ductwork revival · MRCOOL® DIY® Hybrid™

Your old system is dying. Your ductwork isn't.

The ducts are the expensive, hard part of any HVAC system, and yours are already in the walls. Swap the worn-out air handler for a MRCOOL® DIY® Hybrid™ ducted air handler and a 5th Gen inverter heat pump. Still DIY.

See the systems Check the duct specs
2 or 3 tonDucted heat pump
0 ftNew ductwork
4-wayUp · Down · Horizontal
Wi-FiSmart thermostat included
Why this works

The ducts are the hard part. You already have them.

Keep what's already paid for

Supply runs, returns and registers stay put. You replace the box, not the house's circulatory system.

Inverter efficiency

A variable-speed inverter heat pump ramps up and down instead of slamming on and off — steadier temperatures and lower bills than a typical single-stage system.

Still DIY

The condenser ships with a 25 ft pre-charged Quick Connect® line set. No vacuum pump, no gauges, no brazing on the new system.

The swap

Match your old tonnage. Keep your ducts.

Check the data plate on your old outdoor unit: most model numbers include 24 for 2 tons or 36 for 3 tons. Pick the matching system below.

2TON

2-ton ducted heat pump

Up to 1,000 sq ft · replaces a 24,000 BTU system

24K MRCOOL® DIY Hybrid™ Air Handler Indoor · DIY Hybrid™ ducted air handler $1,000.00 MRCOOL® 24k DIY 5th Generation Mini-Split Condenser 230v Outdoor · DIY® 5th Gen condenser
incl. 25 ft pre-charged line set $2,364.00
  • Energy Star certified air handler
  • Upflow, downflow or horizontal install
  • MRCOOL Smart Wi-Fi Thermostat included
  • Optional 5–15 kW electric heat strip (pro install)

MRCOOL designates heat kits as a non-DIY component: have a qualified HVAC technician or electrician install it.

System total$3,364.00
3TON

3-ton ducted heat pump

Up to 1,500 sq ft · replaces a 36,000 BTU system

36K MRCOOL® DIY Hybrid™ Air Handler Indoor · DIY Hybrid™ ducted air handler $1,153.00 MRCOOL® 36k DIY 5th Generation Mini-Split Condenser 230v Outdoor · DIY® 5th Gen condenser
incl. 25 ft pre-charged line set $2,488.00
  • Up to 1,189 CFM across 4 fan speeds
  • Upflow, downflow or horizontal install
  • MRCOOL Smart Wi-Fi Thermostat included
  • Optional electric heat strip up to 20 kW (pro install)

MRCOOL designates heat kits as a non-DIY component: have a qualified HVAC technician or electrician install it.

System total$3,641.00

Air handler: 5-year parts warranty. Condenser: 7-year compressor / 5-year parts. Heat strips are optional backup heat for the coldest days.

How the swap goes

Four steps. Your ducts stay.

  1. Match your tonnage

    Read the old unit's data plate and pick the 2- or 3-ton system. Measure your supply plenum and return opening.

    Plan

  2. Pull the old air handler

    Once the old refrigerant has been recovered, disconnect and remove the old indoor unit and outdoor condenser.

    Remove

  3. Set the Hybrid & transition

    Set the Hybrid upflow, downflow or horizontal. Fit sheet-metal transitions to your existing supply and return, then seal every joint.

    Ducts

  4. Connect & power up

    Hand-tighten the pre-charged Quick Connect® lines, run the condensate drain, mount the Wi-Fi thermostat, and power up.

    Connect

Three jobs need a pro: federal law requires an EPA-certified technician to recover refrigerant from the old system; a gas furnace's gas line must be capped by a licensed professional; and MRCOOL's manual requires electrical work to be completed by a qualified electrical technician. Optional heat strips are also a non-DIY component per MRCOOL.

Duct fit

Take these to your sheet-metal shop.

Your existing plenums need to meet the Hybrid's openings. A local sheet-metal shop can build the transitions from these numbers in an afternoon.

DIY Hybrid™ 24K · 2 ton 36K · 3 ton
Capacity24,000 BTU (2 ton)36,000 BTU (3 ton)
Rated coverageUp to 1,000 sq ftUp to 1,500 sq ft
Cabinet (L × depth × width)45″ × 21″ × 17½″49″ × 21″ × 21″
Blower-end (supply) opening15¾″ × 10¼″19 5⁄16″ × 10¼″
Filter (return side)16″ × 20″ × 1″20″ × 20″ × 1″
Airflow, 4 speeds630–824 CFM865–1,189 CFM
External static pressure0.5 in. w.c. rated · 0.80 max0.5 in. w.c. rated · 0.80 max
Install positionsUpflow, downflow, horizontal L/RUpflow, downflow, horizontal L/R
Line set3/8″ × 5/8″ Quick Connect®3/8″ × 5/8″ Quick Connect®
Power (air handler)208/230V 1-ph · MCA 4 A208/230V 1-ph · MCA 6 A
Optional heat strip5, 8, 10, 15 kW5, 8, 10, 15, 20 kW
Condensate drain3/4″3/4″

From MRCOOL's DIY Hybrid™ installation manual (section 3.3) and product data. Duct systems with static pressure above 0.80 in. w.c. will starve airflow, so undersized or crushed returns should be fixed during the swap. Always confirm openings on your unit before cutting metal.

Go further: add zones

Keep the ducts. Add zones where they never reached.

Put the Hybrid on a DIY® multi-zone condenser instead, and the same outdoor unit can also run wall-mounts or ceiling cassettes in the bonus room, the addition, or the bedroom that never got enough air. Every combo comes from MRCOOL's approved Hybrid matchup chart.

  • 24K Hybrid + 12K bedroom head on the 36K 5-zone condenser
  • 24K Hybrid + 9K + 12K heads on the 48K 6-zone condenser
  • 36K Hybrid + 12K bonus-room head on the 55K 6-zone condenser
Reviews

From people who did it themselves.

5.0
from 4 reviews
“I knew my old system was old, and I was nervous about what to replace it with. Our whole house now runs on MRCOOL, and the savings were instant.”
JasonWhole-house MRCOOL
“Energy bills were getting so high. It's such a relief every month to see 30% savings.”
Jessica
“The flexibility of the multi-zone allowed for something my old system could never do. It runs so quiet, I can't even tell it's on.”
JoshMulti-Zone owner
“My husband installed this in an afternoon — I'm so proud of him. He's pretty handy, but this was a real DIY system, and it works amazing.”
MichelleDIY install
Questions

Before you pull the old one.

Send us a photo of your old unit's data plate and your plenum. We'll tell you what fits.

Will it fit my existing ductwork?

Almost always, with a transition. Check the spec table above: have a sheet-metal shop fit your supply plenum to the Hybrid's blower-end opening and seal the return to the cabinet. Keep total static pressure at or below 0.80 in. w.c.

What size do I need?

Start with what you have. Most outdoor-unit model numbers include 24 (2 ton) or 36 (3 ton). MRCOOL rates the 2-ton system for up to 1,000 sq ft and the 3-ton for up to 1,500 sq ft.

Do I need a heat strip?

It's optional. The heat pump does the heating; an electric heat strip adds backup for the coldest days. We carry MRCOOL's 5, 8, 10 and 15 kW kits for the Hybrid. MRCOOL designates heat kits as a non-DIY component, so plan on a qualified HVAC technician or electrician for that part.

What still needs a pro?

Four things: recovering the old system's refrigerant (EPA-certified technician, required by federal law), capping a gas line if you're removing a gas furnace, the electrical hookup (MRCOOL's manual says it must be completed by a qualified electrical technician), and installing an optional heat strip, which MRCOOL designates as a non-DIY component.

Can I add rooms later?

Only if you start with a multi-zone condenser. A single-zone condenser runs just the Hybrid. If you think you'll add a room, plan the multi-zone setup now.

What's the warranty?

The DIY® 5th Gen condenser carries a 7-year compressor / 5-year parts warranty; the DIY Hybrid™ air handler carries a 5-year parts warranty, when installed per MRCOOL's instructions and local code.

Ductwork revival

Don't replace the ducts. Replace the box.

Send us your old unit's model number and a photo of the plenum — we'll confirm the fit before you buy.

See the systemsSend us your setup