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I want to install a mini-split unit myself. I can't afford to do it any other way and I'm going to die of heat exhaustion if I fail because these window units just aren't doing the trick.

The only problem is all of the guides say to drill a hole in the wall. My house is all brick.

What am I supposed to do? Should I just run the hoses through the window or can I / should I drill a hole through the brick wall?

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    Installing a mini-split is rarely a DIY task; you will need a vacuum pump unless you get one of the models with a pre-terminated and pre-vacuumed lineset. I don't know anything about the reliability of these.
    – SomeoneSomewhereSupportsMonica
    Commented Jun 12, 2016 at 12:35
  • @SomeoneSomewhere Yea, I realize it's a big job and I might have to hire some laborers to help out. But the price of going with Sears, Home Depot or the like was quoted at about $14,000 whereas the same units (inverter, wall units, and assembly kit) cost 10% of that and some with the same specs but different brands cost under $1,000 (especially those sold with cosmetic-only damage by manufacturers/wholesalers). So I truly can't afford not to DIY. About the vacuum pump -- since the outdoor/inverter is itself a heat pump do I still need something else or is that what you meant?
    – Hack-R
    Commented Jun 12, 2016 at 16:36
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    When you connect the lineset between the indoor and outdoor units, you need to remove all the air and water from the pipes, or it ruins the compressor. You need a vacuum pump to do this. You'll also need a pile of tools to flare and connect the pipework, and torque it up. Also, third-rate brands are likely to give you worse performance (less granular control, reliability, louder etc.)
    – SomeoneSomewhereSupportsMonica
    Commented Jun 12, 2016 at 23:04
  • @SomeoneSomewhere Got it, thanks. I see the vacuum pump kit they make for my lineset. It's very affordable. What are the other must have tools?
    – Hack-R
    Commented Jun 12, 2016 at 23:11
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    Can I have a link?
    – SomeoneSomewhereSupportsMonica
    Commented Jun 12, 2016 at 23:24

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You can drill small holes through a typical masonry wall without compromising its load-bearing.

Assuming the holes are no more than a few inches in diameter, well spaced apart and are few in number, there should be no problem.

If in doubt, ask an engineer.

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  • Very helpful. I'm some kind of engineer myself, but clearly not the right kind. Which kind of engineer should I ask? My main concern with drilling brick is less about structural integrity of the house and more about breaking an entire brick by accident and/or destroying my tools. What type of tools / bits would I need for this?
    – Hack-R
    Commented Jun 12, 2016 at 16:32
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    Small holes: SDS-Plus drill and masonry bit. Larger holes: SDS-Plus drill and diamond-core bit.
    – RedGrittyBrick
    Commented Jun 12, 2016 at 22:26

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