VRF and VRV systems: design, install and service
Variable refrigerant flow systems heat and cool zone by zone, run efficiently, and fit buildings where ductwork won’t. They also need techs who know them. That’s us.
What we do with VRF
- New VRF / VRV systems for offices, multifamily, retail and mixed-use
- Heat recovery systems that move heat from zones that don’t need it to zones that do
- Service, diagnostics and repair on existing systems, including systems someone else installed
- Controls setup, commissioning and troubleshooting
- Replacing aging packaged or gas equipment with VRF as part of an electrification plan
The short version
What is VRF?
VRF (variable refrigerant flow), also sold as VRV, is a heat pump system where one outdoor unit feeds many indoor units through refrigerant piping. Each zone gets its own temperature, and heat recovery systems can heat some rooms while cooling others.
Why it matters
- Zone-by-zone comfort without a central plant or big duct runs
- All-electric heat pump operation that helps with Clean Buildings and Seattle BEPS targets
- Small refrigerant lines fit older buildings and renovations
- Quiet indoor units in ducted, wall, cassette and floor styles
Who it’s for
- Churches, clubhouses and community buildings
- Offices, retail and mixed-use buildings
- Multifamily and senior living
- Owners converting off gas or electric resistance heat
What we can do for you
- New VRF and VRV systems, design-build or plan and spec
- Refrigerant piping, branch selectors and brazing
- Ventilation tie-ins with ERVs
- Central and zone controllers set up and programmed
- Service and troubleshooting on systems someone else installed
- Commissioning that actually gets finished
Work we’ve done
- Replaced the HVAC equipment in a downtown Seattle grocery and restaurant space with a Daikin VRV system: ceiling cassettes, ducted fan coils, an ERV and a CoolMaster controls interface
- Converting a Puyallup church to a Daikin VRV heat pump system with ducted indoor units and ERVs
- Installing VRF fan coils and refrigerant piping at a Bonney Lake clubhouse
- Installing a VRF system for a three-story self storage building in Snohomish
- Service and maintenance on multi-zone Mitsubishi systems
- Set up a Mitsubishi central controller for a downtown Seattle office
Real Omni jobs. We don’t name customers.
What we see most
Communication and addressing faults
Indoor units that drop off the network or throw comm errors. Often wiring, addressing or a failed board.
Crossed piping or wiring
We’ve traced faults to refrigerant piping and control wiring crossed between zones by the original installer, then corrected them.
Expansion valve problems
EEVs checked against spec by resistance and manual test before anything gets replaced.
Commissioning that never got finished
Setpoints, schedules and controllers that were never dialed in. We program it room by room.
Leaks and charge
VRF systems hold a lot of refrigerant. We leak check, repair and weigh in the charge properly.
Working with the manufacturer
When it’s a factory issue, we open the case with tech support and see it through.
Why owners pick VRF
- Zone-by-zone comfort without a big central plant
- Small refrigerant lines in place of big duct runs, a fit for retrofits and older buildings
- Efficient heat pump operation that helps with Washington’s energy performance targets
- Quiet indoor units in many styles: ducted, wall, ceiling cassette, floor
Our work
How it works
Call or send a request
Tell us the equipment, what it’s doing, and how urgent it is.
We come look
A field-experienced tech or estimator sees it in person. Most diagnostics take 30 minutes or less.
Straight price first
You get what’s wrong, what it takes, and what it costs before we start.
Done right, written up
We finish clean, test it, and leave a written record of what we did.
What our clients say
Common questions
Do you service VRF systems you didn’t install?
Yes. We troubleshoot and repair VRF systems no matter who installed them.
Is VRF a good fit for an older building?
Often, yes. The refrigerant lines are small enough to route where ductwork won’t fit, which makes VRF a common choice for retrofits.
Can VRF help with Clean Buildings or BEPS compliance?
It can be part of the plan. VRF heat pumps are efficient and all-electric, which helps with energy use targets and Seattle’s emissions limits. See our compliance page.
Where we do this work
Related services
Ready when you are
Tell us what’s going on. We get back to you as fast as we can.
Licensed, bonded & insured · WA Contractor License OMNIMMI779PR · WA Electrical Contractor (HVAC/Refrigeration) EC OMNIMMI740OS · Commercial financing available