Introduction – Which Heat Pump is Best?

Having the wrong heat pump for your location or space can lead to costing more money in the long run.

In this article we talk about what makes a heat pump the best. And what to look for when deciding on a heat pump.

All to help you make a better informed decision. Save you wasting money. And find out Which Heat Pump is Best.

 

Everyone’s Best can be Different

The best heat pump is the one that heats or cools the room or area the most efficiently.

It might not be the one your friends or family have.

It might not be the one that’s in a cheap install package.

It might not be the most expensive or cheapest one available.

It is going to come down to what is best for your circumstances.

And with so many models available. It can be tough to narrow down your choices.

 

The Best Heat Pump Is

  • The one that fits your budget
  • The one that comes with a warranty
  • The one that has the features you want
  • The one that works the most efficiently
  • The one that fits best in the space it is to be used
  • The one that can work with the outside temperatures
  • The one that has no problems with after sales service and repairs

 

Do Your Research

With the internet you have access to heat pump manufacturer websites.

You will be able to look up different models. Find out about their features. Warranties, output and design choices.

When getting quotes or advice about heat pumps make sure to get the exact model number.

You can use this in your decision process to find which heat pump is best for you.

 

What is your Budget?

This can help start narrowing down your search for a heat pump.

There’s no point looking at top of the range units if they don’t fit your budget. Work out a range of prices you’d be happy to pay.

Which heat pump is best

If you have no idea of budget right now and are looking for prices that’s OK. Keep an open mind and make sure to compare apples to apples.

The old saying of “you get what you pay for” rings true for heat pumps. You want to get the right heat pump with the right advice and service for a price you are happy with.

 

What’s the Warranty Like?

While goods sold in New Zealand fall under the Consumer Guarantees Act. Most heat pumps will also come with their own warranty.

These can range in length and what they cover. So it pays to check what is on offer.

 

What Features do you Want?

When it comes to features in heat pumps there is more than enough to keep everyone happy.

While the basics of a heat pumps remain the same. Manufactures are always adding new features to make life easier for people.

Some features available in certain heat pumps currently are:

  • ​Silent operation
  • Room sensors
  • Night mode
  • Eco Sensors
  • Purifying system
  • Rapid heating
  • Wi-Fi control
  • Blue fin condenser
  • Programmable controller

For most people a heat pump isn’t something you’ll likely replace anytime soon. It pays to see if any of these features appeal to you.

It’s up to you to decide if the feature is worth it.

 

Types of Heat Pumps

There are different types of heat pumps available in the market.

There are units suitable for single houses. Larger multi unit houses, office buildings and commercial locations.

High Wall Heat Pumps
heat pumps

Most people will think of these when talking about heat pumps. These are the units you’ll see attached to a living room wall near the top of the wall.

Benefits of these units are they are designed for performance and save floor space.

Floor Console Heat Pumps

This type of heat pump sits on the floor and looks like a heater.

The benefits of this type of heat pump is they are a good option to replace night store heaters or old fireplaces.

Cassette Heat Pumps

This is a roof mounted heat pump with very very little protruding from the ceiling.

The benefits of these is it keeps your wall and floor space free.

Ducted Heat Pumps

This type of heat pump can provide heating or cooling for your whole house.

 

High Wall Heat Pumps are Most Common for Residential

The most common type and the one you will see a lot is a High Wall model.

This is what most consumers will think of when it comes to a heat pump. And what we’ll be discussing further in this article.

Your heat pump professional will be able to tell you which options are available to you. And what will work best for your location.

 

How Long do you Need it For?

This may sound like a strange question to consider. But it’s important to think about if you are thinking of selling your house.

If you know that is going to happen in the near future. It might be a good idea to get a heat pump that meets your needs the most cost effective way possible.

 

Factors for the Right Heat Pump

Size of the Room

The size and layout of your room will dictate what you can physically fit in the room.

It can also dictate installation of your heat pump. Both with the inside unit and the outside unit.

 

Size of the Heat Pump

The size of the heat pump matters as well. It is closely related to the size of the room.

You need the right sized heat pump to heat or cool your space efficiently.

If the heat pump is too small for the room it will struggle and will need to be on longer. This could lead to higher power bills and a shorter life of the unit.

Having a unit that is too big for the room could mean wasted energy.

 

Location of the Heat Pump

The location of where the heat pump is important.

You want it in a location that provides the best way to heat or cool the room.

Some rooms could be more complicated to install a heat pump in. Due to the layout and space available.

This is what it is important to talk to a heat pump installer and have them physically look at the location.

 

What Brand of Heat Pump is Best?

There is no clear answer to this question. Installers, retailers and other people will have differing opinions on this.

This could come from anecdotal evidence. Familiarity with different brands, warranty claims or other various reasons.

While all heat pumps can heat or cool. Going for a known brand name heat pump has a lot of benefits for you.

 

Benefits of a Big Name Heat Pump

Well known brands have many years of experience in producing their goods.

They have the expertise and funding to do a lot of research to make sure their products work well.

And are suited to the market they are selling in. With the weather conditions sometimes being so variable. New Zealand really can have 4 seasons in one day.

You want a heat pump that can manage with these conditions.

Major brands of heat pumps in New Zealand are:

 

Why it Pays to Talk to a Professional

It pays to talk to someone that knows their stuff.

They will have the experience of installing heat pumps in all sorts of situations.

They will know what will work for you.

 

Who Can You Trust?

Lets be honest. There are cowboys out there.

But there’s also good people as well.

Ways to judge a good heat pump installer

  • Do they have references from other customers
  • Do they have good reviews
  • Are they easy to contact
  • Do they offer free quotes
  • Are they able to answer any question you ask them
  • Do they offer advice on different models and options

If you can answer yes to most of these items in your list there is a good chance the person you are talking to is a good heat pump installer.

It pays to talk to multiple installers. See what advice you get as well as the quotes for the work.

 

Pricing

There are two parts to getting a heat pump installed you must consider.

The first part is the cost of the actual heat pump unit.

The second part is the install cost.

This may be offered to you in a package deal.

But this will come with some conditions. Mainly that the install is nice and easy to do.

If it isn’t, there could be additional costs. Something to keep in mind. And why it’s important your installer sees the location.

 

Temperature Considerations

Your heat pump installer should be taking in consideration the outside temperatures faced at your location.

You want a heat pump unit that can work when it gets cold outside. But what happens if it gets really cold where you live?

You will need to make sure you have a machine that can deal with those extremes.

Nothing worse than a heat pump that has to power down due to the temperature.

 

After Sales Support and Servicing

Good heat pumps will have good after sales support and servicing if you need it.

If something went wrong with your heat pump. Does the manufacture carry spare parts? Do they have technicians that can do the work?

You will need to ask these questions when purchasing to find out.

Nothing worse than having a problem that no one wants to help with. Or parts are hard to come by.

 

Retailer VS Installer – Which is Best?

For purchasing a heat pump, consumers have a couple of different routes they can go down.

Purchase through a retailer. Or purchase through an installer.

Pros Purchasing Through a Retailer

  • Might have sharp prices due to bulk purchase buying power
  • Might offer a package deal for the unit and install of it

Cons of Purchasing Through a Retailer

  • More focused on the sale then finding the right product for you
  • Could have a lack of knowledge around different units
  • Might not have a full range of products available to them
  • Might not sell the right product for your needs
  • Pricing might not be accurate when it comes to the install of the unit and you end up paying more

Pros of Purchasing Through an Installer

  • Installers will know which heat pump will work best for your location
  • Installers might offer you a better price
  • Installers will be able to give you a quote on all the work
  • Installers that also repair units will know which ones are durable and potential problems
  • Installers want to do good work as word of mouth helps their business

Cons of Purchasing Through an Installer

  • They might not know about all the features
  • Their customer service skills might not be as good

 

Energy Star Ratings

The Energy Rating Label helps people compare energy efficiency and running costs of similar appliances when deciding which to buy.

The more stars the more efficient the unit is. Meaning it will cost you less to run. But the cost may be more than a less energy efficient heat pump.

This could be the trade off you have to make.

The energy rating labels are explained in this Consumer article.

 

Conclusion

As you can see, there is no clear-cut answer to which heat pump is best.

Everyone’s situation is different. It all comes down to the best product that works for you.

There are a lot of options out there when it comes to heat pumps.

It pays to talk to a heat pump expert. They will know what has worked for other people. What can work for your location and offer the best advice.

If you’re in the Whanganui area and would like to discuss your heat pump options or anything electrical. Get in touch.

We’d love to hear from you and discuss possible solutions to all your heat pump and electrical needs.