Old leaky ducts stay put when the room goes ductless
Houses from Killeen to Waco still carry original duct runs that leak at the joints, bake in a hot attic, or feed rooms that no longer need them. Switching a space to a ductless mini split does not automatically remove that metal or flex. The old path stays in the chase, the soffit, or the attic until a separate crew is hired to pull it.
Old West Minisplits posts a flat price for a new mini split install, not for duct demolition and not for repairs or service calls. One zone is $2,000, two zones are $3,700, and three zones are $5,400, with four or more zones quoted individually. That number covers equipment, labor, line set, standard electrical, refrigerant, testing, cleanup, and a Home Depot run for touch-up paint, with no trip fees.
The mini split does not use the old ducts
A mini split is a heat pump. The indoor head moves air in the room it serves, and the outdoor unit handles heat for brutal Central Texas summers and mild winters without a furnace. There is no supply boot and no return drop tying that head to the existing trunk.
Abandoned branches can sit idle for years without affecting the new system. If those ducts still serve other rooms, they remain part of whatever equipment still runs them. Pulling unused pipe is demolition work a homeowner schedules with a sheet-metal shop or a general contractor, not with Old West Minisplits.
Leave it, cap it, or hire a separate crew
Most owners from Temple, Belton, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Salado, and Jarrell leave unused flex in the attic because removal means cutting drywall, crawling tight joist bays, and hauling scrap. Capping the register and sealing the takeoff at the plenum is a smaller job a handyman or the homeowner can handle. Either path is arranged separately from the mini split install.
Do not read the posted figures as a duct-repair price or a service-call rate. They are for new installs only. Licensed contractors hang the equipment. Unusually long line sets, a panel upgrade the house already needed, or unusually difficult mounting sit outside the flat number and are stated up front, never buried.
Posted price, no standoffs
Other contractors in Central Texas commonly quote ductless work at $3,000 to $6,000 per zone after an in-home visit. Old West Minisplits puts 1 zone at $2,000, 2 zones at $3,700, and 3 zones at $5,400 for a new install. That covers equipment, labor, line set, standard electrical, refrigerant, testing, cleanup, and a Home Depot run for touch-up paint. The price is posted up front, no standoffs.
Send the quote form at /#quote with the town, the number of rooms, and whether old ducts will be left in place. A homeowner who wants the abandoned run removed books that work on a separate ticket with a trade that actually does demolition. Old West Minisplits does not tear out ducts, open walls for insulation, or perform panel work beyond the standard electrical already in the flat price.
How we compare
| Factor | Old West Minisplits | Custom HVAC quote |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront Cost | New install only: 1 zone $2,000, 2 zones $3,700, 3 zones $5,400 | Ductless work commonly $3,000-$6,000 per zone after a visit. Duct tear-out is another bid. |
| Old leaky or abandoned ducts | Left in place. Homeowner caps registers or hires a demo crew separately. | Often a change-order line after the in-home visit, or rolled into a full system swap. |
| What the number covers | Equipment, labor, line set, standard electrical, refrigerant, testing, cleanup, touch-up paint run. No trip fees. | Custom scope. Trip fees and extras for demo, sealing, or panel work are common. |
| How you get a price | Price is posted. Send the form at /#quote. Four or more zones quoted individually. | Most require an in-home visit before any number is written down. |
Straight answers
Does the $2,000 one-zone price include removing old ductwork?
No. That figure is a new-install price for a mini split, not a demolition bid and not a repair or service call. Equipment, labor, line set, standard electrical, refrigerant, testing, cleanup, and a touch-up paint run are included. Duct removal is a separate trade the homeowner hires if they want the abandoned run gone.
Can leaky ducts stay in the attic after a mini split goes in?
Yes. The indoor head does not connect to the old trunk, so idle metal or flex can remain. If those ducts still serve other rooms, leave them on the system that still uses them. Sealing leaks on that remaining network is sheet-metal or insulation work arranged separately.
Should unused registers be capped when a room switches to a mini split?
Capping a dead register and sealing the takeoff at the plenum keeps the leftover system from dumping air into an empty branch. That is a small homeowner or handyman task, not part of a Old West Minisplits new install. Old West Minisplits does not perform duct sealing or demolition.
How do I get a number if I have four or more zones?
Four or more zones are quoted individually. Use the form at /#quote. Honest exceptions such as a very long line set, a panel upgrade the house already needed, or unusually difficult mounting are named up front.
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