Frequently Asked Questions

Q:  How much does it cost to get a heat pump installed?
A:  Installation costs can vary a lot depending on what is required but for a standard 'back to back' installation on an external wall you should allow around $1000. For an internal wall installation with a condensate pump then you should allow around $1500

Q:  What is a condensate pump?
A:  A condensate pump is a small water pump that usually sits in the ceiling about the heat pump indoor unit. These pumps are required when it is not possible to connect a gravity drain from the indoor unit to outside the house. When you run a heat pump in cooling then some condensation is produced at the indoor unit and this needs to be drained, or pumped, to outside.

Q:  Can all heat pumps run as air conditioners in cooling function?
A:  Yes - all domestic heat pumps sold in New Zealand can do both heating and cooling. Some heat pumps can only do cooling but these are typically only sold in hot countries where heating is never required. Some commercial heat pump systems only do cooling as well, but these are typically for industrial applications

Q:  What temperature should I run my heat pump at?
A:  Most people find around 22 degrees is comfortable for either heating or cooling. I comes down to personal preference though and if you find 22 degrees is not quite right for you then go up or down a degree until you are comfortable.

Q:  What setting should I have my fan at?
A:  For most situations we recommend setting the fan to "Auto" speed as this will allow the heat pump to select the best fan speed for the temperature that is set on the remote controller. If the fan speed it set to "Quiet" or low fan speed it can restrict the amount of heating or cooling that can be achieved and therefore reduce the effectiveness of the heat pump.

Q: How much does it cost to run a heat pump?
A:  The running costs for a heat pump will vary a huge amount depending on a large number of factors and there is no single right answer to this question. Running costs are typically about 1/4 of the equivalent electric heating costs and a typical single living room heat pump might cost $2 - $5 a day to run during winter. A large ducted heat pump system doing a whole house might cost $5 - $10 a day to run. It will depend very much on the heat pump capacity, how long you run it for, what temperature you have it set at, what the temperature is outside, what your insulation is like, what power rate you are on, etc etc.

Q:  Do you need to get your heat pump serviced to ensure the warranty is applied?
A:  No - you will not invalidate your warranty if you do not get your heat pump serviced regularly. However, regular servicing will help ensure your heat pump is performing at its best and costing the least to run. Regular servicing also means any potential warranty issues are picked up early and can be sorted out while the heat pump is still under warranty.

Q:  Do you install home ventilation systems?
A:  Yes - we install home ventilation systems and these are becoming more and more common as people seek to improve their indoor air quality and reduce the amount of condensation in their homes. We recommend balanced heat recovery ventilation systems over positive pressure systems.

Q:  What is a balanced heat recovery ventilation system?
A: A balanced heat recovery ventilation system brings fresh air into the house at the same rate that it exhausts out the stale damp air. This is done through an air to air heat exchanger where the two air streams never physically touch but the heat energy from the exhaust air is used to warm up the fresh air coming into the home. This allows the home to be properly ventilated without loosing most of the heat (or cool) energy that has been paid for. Positive pressure systems just force air from the ceiling cavity into the home. On hot summer days this air can be very hot which can make the home too hot, and on winter days this air can be very cold which can increase the amount of heating required. Positive pressure systems can still be effective at reducing condensation on windows etc but they will remove some of the heat (or cool) energy from the home in the process which can increase overall energy consumption.

Q:  How much does a balanced heat recovery ventilation system cost?
A:  These systems typically cost around $4500 - $5000 fully installed, which is around the same cost as some of the widely promoted positive pressure ventilation systems. So for a similar cost you can get a whole home balanced heat recovery ventilation system which will be just as effective at reducing condensation but will likely cost less to use. 

 

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