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Friedrich Mini Split Buying Guide

Mini splits are an excellent choice for cooling, being more efficient and flexible than traditional ducted central air conditioning systems. And when it comes to mini splits, one of the biggest names in the industry is Friedrich.

In this guide, learn all about the Friedrich brand, and what their lineup of ductless mini splits can offer.

About Friedrich

San Antonio, TX-based Friedrich is one of the premiere brands of air conditioners, offering room air conditioners and mini splits for residential and commercial uses.

With a long history dating all the way back to 1883, it started as handcrafted furniture maker, before pivoting to the new industry of mechanical refrigeration. Friedrich’s earliest AC products were designed for food preservation, and by 1950, the brand was well established as a manufacturer of commercial refrigeration equipment. 

In 1952, Friedrich entered the relatively new field of air conditioning with its first window AC unit. Today, Friedrich continues its storied expertise in air conditioning by providing a wide variety of room air conditioners, mini splits and indoor air quality appliances.

Friedrich Mini Splits

As one of the leading names in the field of air conditioning, Friedrich’s ductless mini splits are packed full of the latest features. 

These include:

  • Inverter technology for better energy efficiency, utility savings and quieter operation
  • High SEER ratings with EnergyStar certification
  • Built-in WiFi to allow control from anywhere with an Internet connection
  • Smart home integration via the FriedrichGo app
  • Amazon Alexa and Google Home support
  • An innovative design that makes mini splits much easier to service, clean and maintain compared to traditional mini splits 

Friedrich Mini Split Lineup

Friedrich’s mini splits consist of the Floating Air series, which is the company’s line of highly efficient mini splits using the latest technology for energy efficiency, smart connectivity, and easier maintenance.

The Floating Air lineup comes in three categories: 

  • Floating Air Select – entry-level single-zone mini splits that deliver high value
  • Floating Air Pro – covers different mini split models with extended operating range
  • Floating Air Premier – top-line mini splits with the highest efficiency ratings

To make the selection process easier for you, we break down each category and discuss their differences below. 

Friedrich Floating Air Select

The Floating Air Select Line is Friedrich’s entry level ductless mini splits. These consist of single-zone wall-mounted units with moderate pricing. But don’t let the entry-level label fool you: Floating Air Select units provide good efficiency of up to 18.0 SEER, giving them exceptional value. They also offer heating with outside temperatures as low as -4°F.

One notable feature is its support for Friedrich’s FreshAire® IAQ, a line of indoor air quality accessories designed to make indoor air safer. Floating Air Select mini splits are compatible with the full range FreshAire IAQ accessories, including ultraviolet light kits and air purification modules. Since Friedrich also produces air quality products apart from air conditioners, it leveraged this expertise by extending its focus on good air quality even for the entry-level Floating Air Select line.

Featured Floating Air Select model:

Friedrich FSHW121 12000 BTU Floating Air Select Series Single Zone Mini Split – Heat and Cool – 115V

The FSHW121 mini split is a 115 Volt, cooling with heat pump system. It offers 12,000 BTUs of cooling capacity and can cool a room that is about 450 sq. ft, and the built-in low ambient cooling capabilities will cool your space when outside temperatures are as low as 0°F. It features high efficiency ratings including a 18.0 SEER and 10.1 EER.

The heat pump is capable of 7,100 BTUs at 17°F with its low ambient heating capacity, and can continue to provide heat even with temperatures down to -4°F. If you are need to cool a server room or other equipment year round, this unit’s low ambient cooling features make it a great choice.

The system uses inverter technology, which runs the compressor at a lower speed instead of shutting off completely. This helps it maintain the set temperature, alleviating the need for the system to start up again from a completely shut down state.

DISCONTINUEDFriedrich FSHW121 12000 BTU, 17.5 SEER2 Floating Air Select Series Single Zone Mini Split - Heat and Cool - 115V
Price: $1,106.00 DISCONTINUEDFriedrich FSHW121 12000 BTU, 17.5 SEER2 Floating Air Select Series Single Zone Mini Split - Heat and Cool - 115V

Friedrich FSHW121 12,000 BTU single zone mini split system includes both the FSHSW12A1A wall unit and the FSHSR12A1A outdoor compressor. Inverter Te...

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Friedrich Floating Air Pro

The Floating Air Pro is Friedrich’s intermediate range of ductless mini splits. Compared to the Select line, the Pro line covers both single-zone and multi-zone mini splits. They are also available in different installation models, including wall-mounted, ceiling cassette, and concealed ducted units.

Features of the Floating Air Pro line include:

Inverter technology

Inverters enable the mini split compressor to adjust its speed to meet the set temperature. Friedrich’s Precision Inverter technology controls the compressor as well as the outdoor and indoor fan speeds to maintain room temperature as needed. This eliminates the constant compressor start-ups/shutdowns in conventional ACs.

The result is highly improved efficiency, enabling Floating Air Pro models to achieve up to 22 SEER ratings. Other advantages include much quieter operation and longer operational life.

FastPro construction for easier maintenance

Conventional mini splits put the indoor condenser coils deep inside the unit. This makes it difficult and time consuming to clean or service.

Friedrich designed the Floating Air Pro line to be much easier to service with its unique Fastpro design. The mini splits are specifically built so that the coils, blowers and terminal blocks are easier to access. This means less time needed by HVAC technicians during servicing.

Compared to standard ductless wall-mounted mini splits, the Floating Air Pro mini splits are:

  • 40% easier to install
  • 45% faster to clean
  • 50% faster to service

Smart home integration

Floating Air Pro mini splits come with built-in WiFi modules. This allows them to be controlled with a smartphone or tablet from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection.

The FriedrichGo app also allows scheduling, routines, and integrations with other smart home platforms like Amazon Alexa and Google Home Assistant.

Friedrich Floating Air Premier

The Floating Air Premier line is Friedrich’s premium range of ductless mini splits. Models in the line have the highest energy efficiency, going up to 28 SEER, with extended operational ranges for cooling and heating. Despite their highest initial cost, Floating Air Premier mini splits boast the highest energy efficiencies and lowest operating cost over the life of the unit. 

Floating Air Premier models possess all the features of the lower Select and Pro lines. In addition they boast the following:

Extreme climate ratings

Floating Air Premier mini splits are specifically built for extreme climate conditions. They boast low ambient operation down to 0°F in cooling mode, and down to -13°F in heating mode. For cold regions, Premier models come with low temperature compressor startup protection.

DiamonBlue Corrosion Protection

Floating Air Premier units are also designed for harsh environments. This is achieved by Friedrich’s patented DiamonBlue corrosion protection, where all metallic coil surfaces are treated with an ElectroFin 5-stage, immersion e-coat process.

The result is greater endurance and protection in saltwater, coastal or corrosive environments

Featured Floating Air Pro model:

Friedrich FRHW093A 9000 BTU Floating Air Premier Series Single Zone Mini Split with Built-In WiFi – Heat and Cool – Energy Star

The Floating Air Premier Series is Friedrich’s top of the line ductless mini split systems with EnergyStar certification and high SEER ratings. This 9,000 BTU model can service a room about 450 sq. ft. and boasts 27.5 SEER2 and 16.1 EER.

The built-in low ambient cooling capabilities will cool your space when outside temperatures are as low as 0°F. The 10,500 BTU heat pump ill give you 6,500 BTUs at 17°F but with its low ambient heating capacity, will provide heat even with temperatures down to -13°F. If you are need to cool a server room or other equipment year round, this unit’s low ambient cooling features make it a great choice. The integrated drain pan will turn on when the temperature drops below 28°F and turn off when the temperature increases to 30°F.

Friedrich’s Premier Series Floating Air wall unit feature built-in WiFi and access to FriedrichGo App for wireless control as well as Google Assistant and Alexa voice commands. It also uses Friedrich’s FastPro design that makes installation and maintenance a much easier, less time consuming task. by giving easy access to the entire indoor unit, including piping, wire terminal, the fan and fan components. This makes installation of the refrigerant lines and wiring a much more manageable, less time consuming task for your HVAC technician.

Friedrich FRHW093A 9000 BTU, 27.5 SEER2 Floating Air Premier Series Single Zone Mini Split with Built-In WiFi - Heat and Cool - Energy Star
Price: $1,549.00 Friedrich FRHW093A 9000 BTU, 27.5 SEER2 Floating Air Premier Series Single Zone Mini Split with Built-In WiFi - Heat and Cool - Energy Star

The Floating Air Premier Series is Friedrich's top of the line ductless mini split systems. Two systems are available including this 9,000 BTU system and a 12...

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Friedrich Mini Splits at Total Home Supply

At Total Home Supply, we carry a wide range of Friedrich ducted mini splits covering the entire Floating Air family. We also carry critical parts like thermostats, mini split components, and replacement parts.

Check out our Friedrich mini split lineup today and upgrade your home with one of the preeminent brands in the mini split industry!

Mickey Luongo

Mickey is the resident heating and air conditioning expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry.

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