Are you thinking about purchasing a heat pump for your Dunedin home? Heat pumps are an efficient and cost-effective way to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. But before you buy one, it’s important to ask yourself some key questions to make sure you’re getting the best heat pump for your needs.
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Heat pumps are an increasingly popular choice for Dunedin homeowners looking for an efficient and cost-effective way to heat and cool their homes. But before you install a heat pump, it’s important to understand the different sizes available and how to determine the size that is right for you.
The size of the heat pump you choose is based on the size of your home, how well insulated it is, and the climate in your area. Generally, the larger the home, the larger the heat pump you will need. To determine the best size for your home, you should start by calculating the total square footage of your home. Then, you will need to factor in the climate and insulation level of your home.
In cooler climates like in Dunedin, a larger heat pump may be needed to heat the home efficiently. This is because the larger heat pump will have the capacity to move more air through the home, allowing it to heat the home more effectively. In warmer climates, a smaller heat pump may be sufficient, as the higher insulation levels and warmer temperatures will require less energy to heat the home.
You should also consider the type of heat pump you are looking to install. If you are looking for a quieter operation, then a ductless mini-split system may be the best choice. This type of system operates with two separate components, one outside and one inside, and provides quiet and efficient heating and cooling.
When you are ready to purchase a heat pump, it is important to consult a qualified HVAC technician to determine the correct size for your home. We will be able to assess your home’s needs and recommend the best size for your needs.
No matter which size heat pump you choose, it is important to ensure it is properly installed and maintained to ensure it functions optimally. A well-maintained heat pump can provide years of reliable and efficient heating and cooling.
Heat pumps come in several different varieties, all of which have their own advantages and disadvantages. The most common type is an air-source heat pump, which uses the outdoor air to heat and cool your home. This type of heat pump is efficient, but it is not suitable for cold climates, as it can struggle to heat your home in temperatures below freezing.
There are also ground-source heat pumps that use the ground to heat and cool your home. These systems are much more efficient than air-source heat pumps, as the ground remains a consistent temperature year-round. Generally this system is used in the commercial space rather than residential homes. This is due to the cost associated with installing one. Ground-source heat pumps require a lot of land space to install, making them more expensive from the extra hours required to install one.
In New Zealand, ground source heat pumps are rarely used and therefore the more common seen type of heat pump is an air source unit. This is backed by McClelland heat pump specialists who recommend air-source heat pumps for residential homes. When deciding which type of heat pump system to buy, you should consider the size of your home, the climate you live in, and your budget.
The most common type of control for a heat pump is a thermostat. This device measures the temperature in your home and adjusts the heat pump’s output accordingly. It also allows you to set a desired temperature and the heat pump will keep your home at that temperature. Thermostats come in various types and can be either wall-mounted or wireless, depending on your preference.
Another option is a timer. This allows you to set a schedule for when your heat pump should turn on and off. This can be useful if you want to only heat your home at certain times of the day, or if you want to turn off the heat pump at night to save energy. Timers are usually wall-mounted and can be programmed to turn on and off at specific times.
The last option is a remote control. This is a device that allows you to control your heat pump from anywhere in the house. It is especially useful if you have a large home or multiple rooms that require different temperatures. With a remote control, you can simply adjust the temperature in each room without having to get up and reset the thermostat.
If you live in New Zealand and are looking for an energy-efficient heat pump for your home, there are a number of factors to consider. Heat pumps are one of the most efficient ways to heat and cool your home, but not all heat pumps are created equal. Here are some tips to help you identify an energy-efficient heat pump in New Zealand.
The best way to identify an energy-efficient heat pump in New Zealand is to look for the Energy Rating Label. This label, which is required by law, gives you an indication of the energy efficiency of the heat pump. The label will give you an energy efficiency rating, which is measured on a scale from one to ten, with ten being the most energy efficient.
You should also check the energy consumption rating, which is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) per hour. The lower the number, the more energy efficient the heat pump is.
When you’re looking for an energy-efficient heat pump, you should also consider the features that the heat pump has. Many heat pumps now come with features such as variable speed fans and compressors, which can help reduce energy consumption.
You should also check to see if the heat pump has a timer setting, which can help reduce energy consumption by only running the heat pump when it’s needed.
It’s also important to consider the brand of the heat pump you’re looking at. Different brands have different levels of energy efficiency, so it’s important to do your research and find out which brands are the most energy-efficient. Some brands are more well-known for their energy efficiency such as Fujitsu Heat pumps.
Finally, it’s a good idea to get a professional assessment from a qualified technician. Call us and we will be able to assess your home and recommend the best heat pump for your needs. We will also be able to provide expert advice on how to get the most out of your heat pump and keep it running at its most energy efficient.
Heat pumps are a major investment for any homeowner, so it’s important to understand the warranty that comes with them. Fortunately, most heat pumps come with some type of warranty that covers the cost of repair or replacement should something go wrong in the future. The length of this warranty varies depending on the type of heat pump and the manufacturer, but there are some general guidelines to keep in mind.
For most basic models of heat pumps, the typical warranty is between five and ten years. This covers both parts and labour and is usually good for any kind of malfunction that is not caused by improper installation or use. For example Fujitsu General New Zealand provides a 6 year full parts and labour warranty for all residential heat pump / air conditioning systems installed through a Fujitsu Accredited Installer.
In addition to the length of the warranty, it’s important to read the fine print. Many manufacturers will also offer a warranty on specific components, such as the compressor or fan motor. These warranties may be shorter than the overall warranty and may only cover certain types of repairs or replacements. It’s important to know what is covered and what isn’t so that you can make an informed decision when purchasing a new heat pump.
When it comes to warranties, it’s always a good idea to do some research before making a purchase. Reading reviews and asking questions about the warranty coverage can save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Ultimately, knowing the length of the heat pump warranty can make the difference between a lasting investment and an expensive repair.
When it comes to buying a heat pump, it’s important to do your research and ask the right questions. Knowing what to look for in a heat pump and understanding how the system works can be the difference between a successful purchase and a costly mistake.
Asking questions about the type of heat pump you need, the size of the unit, installation costs, energy efficiency ratings, and warranties can help you make an informed decision. With the right information, you can confidently select the best heat pump for your home.
Make sure you get professional advice before having a heat pump installed.
In June my home decarbonisation journey reached a major milestone with the installation of a heat pump for my heating and hot water. I knew very little about how they worked and what to expect, and information was not, and still isn't, easy to come by. Looking back, there are a number of questions I would now want to explore with the installers in more detail before making a decision:
1. What size heat pump does my home need?
2. How efficient is the heat pump?
3. How will the heat pump be controlled?
4. What will the heat pump look like when installed?
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First, some context. My home is a 120 year old mid-terrace made of sandstone, very typical for the city of Glasgow where I live. The roof has a decent level of insulation and the windows are a mix of double- and triple-glazed, but the walls and floors are uninsulated. My heating and hot water was provided by a relatively efficient gas combi boiler. It worked well and gave no fuss, but I wanted to get rid of gas. So after replacing our gas cooker for induction, installing a heat pump was the next task.
It wasn't easy securing quotes. Is it ever? I contacted a number of installers via the Energy Saving Trust Installer Finder. Some never replied, others did and either said my home wasn't suitable for a heat pump or only offered a hybrid system, a heat pump and gas boiler combined. After many months of searching I eventually secured a quote for a 17 kW heat pump, about the largest on the market. It didn't seem unreasonable - my home is old and not strongly insulated - but I wanted a second opinion.
In a rare moment of internet serendipity, an exchange on LinkedIn led me to a company outside of my original search zone. They conducted a full heat demand assessment of my home, seemed very competent and knowledgeable, and proposed a smaller 13.5 kW unit. Why was this?
Heat pumps are sized, as I learned, to meet peak heating demand, the level of heat required on the coldest day of the year. Glaswegians will probably disagree, but the city has a relatively mild climate. It doesn't often snow, and when it does, it doesn't last for too long. The outside temperature used to determine peak heating demand was -4C, which is at the lower end of the temperature I've experienced since living here. The inside temperatures were set to 21C for all living rooms, 18C for all other rooms, and 22C for the bathroom. This means that the heat pump has to generate sufficient heat to deliver up to a 25C rise in temperature, a little less if looking at the average temperature for the house.
The design temperatures are warmer than we usually keep our house but installers design around the house rather than personal usage following MCS guidance. For home owners to receive the heat pump financial support currently availably in the UK, installers need to be MCS certified and follow MCS guidance.
Based on the design temperatures, the size of my home (approx. 160 square meters), and assumptions made around insulation levels and air-tightness, peak heat demand was estimated to be 9.5 kW, far lower than the first quote I received.
To recap:
- Quote 1 was for a 17 kW heat pump for a peak demand of 14 kW
- Quote 2 was for a 13.5 kW heat pump for a peak demand of 9.5 kW
I went with the second as it also matched more closely with an independent heat demand assessment from Glasgow based Loco Home, a cooperative for supporting homeowners with retrofit (they are brilliant).
Why the big difference in the estimates? Two main influencing factors are the levels of insulation and airtightness. The second quote assumed a higher level of air-tightness based on experience of fitting heat pumps into older homes like mine that had been modernised, and also assumed a higher level of thermal performance from the uninsulated sandstone walls. This resulted in a lower estimate peak heat demand and a smaller heat pump.
To give a sense of the impact of insulation, not long before the heat pump was installed I upgraded the windows in two rooms from double- to triple-glazed. These measures brought the peak heat demand down from 9.5 kW to below 9 kW.
The design also recommended upgrading 6 of the 13 radiators to larger units, and for an additional radiator in the main living room as there was no space to upgrade the existing one. Crucially, the pipework was assessed to be just about adequate avoiding the need for any upgrading and all of the disruption and additional expense that would have caused (phew).
If you care about energy costs, efficiency is crucial. While gas boilers deliver heat at far less than 100% efficiency, heat pumps can deliver efficiencies of around 300-400%, and more. The level of efficiency is known as the coefficient of performance (COP), and means that for every kW of electricity the heat pump will generate 3 to 4 kWs of heat. Today's energy prices mean that gas is around 3-4 times cheaper than electricity, so a well designed heat pump delivering around 300-400% efficiency can keep a home just as warm as gas for around the same energy costs, and even generate savings at higher levels of efficiency.
At this half way point in the heating season my heat pump is delivering a seasonal COP (or SCOP) of 380% and I suspect this will increase to over 400% by the time the heating season ends. At this level of efficiency I will definitely be saving on running costs as I show in this post and in the charts below.
Heat pumps are not all made equally, so check the efficiency of the unit and ask the installer why it's being recommended over others. You can also find technical details of all MCS certified heat pumps on their website.
In a complete facepalm moment, I didn't even think about asking this question until the day the installation was finished and the van drove away (the handover process was not optimal).
Like many households, our previous gas combi was operated by a wireless indoor thermostat that allowed different temperatures and times to be set. The heat pump had no indoor thermostat, only an outdoor thermometer and a control panel fitted in the 'plant room' as the installers called it (see photo below), essentially the cupboard where the new hot water cylinder, water circulation pumps, and expansion vessels were sited, everything needed in addition to the heat pump unit itself.
Having the control panel located outside of the main core of the house doesn't make it particularly accessible but also isn't problematic, at least in my case. An additional control unit could be installed in a more convenient location but it only comes in a wired version with my heat pump, meaning channelling or trunking would be needed. An app is also available but for that to work an additional unit is needed, further adding to the costs. Some heat pump makes offer different (better?) controls, so this is definitely an area to look into.
Control location and apps aside, a much larger adjustment is needed with operating the heat pump without an indoor thermostat and relying instead on weather compensation and heating curves. Explaining how this all works would need a lengthy post in itself - you can read my short post to learn more along with more in-depth (and more expert) articles such as this one by Heat Geek. The upshot is though that the system works, and works well. All it took was a bit of experimentation to find the right heating curve and temperature settings. Our home is heated to the level we want irrespective of the outside temperatures, even when it drops to below zero as it has a couple of times this winter. The heating curve adjusts the temperature of the water it sends to the radiators according to the outside temperature, with colder days delivering hotter water.
The other difference with a heat pump is how we operate it. With our gas boiler, at nighttime we would either set a low temperature or switch it off altogether. Now with the heat pump we run it 24/7 and set different target temperatures at night and during the day within quite a narrow range of only a couple of degrees. Widening the range between these temperatures would cause the heat pump to have to work harder to deliver the daytime temperature, lowering the efficiency. The higher the temperature gradient the heat pump needs to push up, the hotter it will need to heat the water temperature, and hotter water equals lower efficiency.
There is a learning curve to climb with heat pump operation but not a especially steep one as core functions are the same as for gas heating, such as target temperatures and timers. Installers could (and should) help though and take away a lot of the mystery by explaining in advance how controls work and then again once the system is installed. They should also explain the controls that will come with the heat pump, where they might be sited, and whether there are options to increase accessibility, such as apps and web applications. If they don't explain, push for answers.
Personally I think aesthetics matter, and some heat pumps are, at least in my view, nicer looking than others. If the unit is visible then you might want to consider choosing a model that you like the looks of. Think about size also and imagine it in the location where it will be installed. Some units have double fans to generate higher heat output, and these will be far more of a visible presence. My heat pump offers the heat output I need from a single fan whereas other models would only deliver the heat output from a double-fan unit. This is part of the reason why the installer recommended the model they did, as the unit is quite visible from both inside and outside of my home. It is though a relatively large single fan unit and has taken a little while to get used to having a large appliance in our back garden. Now I hardly notice it. Visual impact is also a small price to pay compared to having a gas-free home and lower energy costs.
The market is moving quickly, technology is always improving. Looking at heat pumps available now, less than one year on, there are more compact models that would meet my heat demand.
Those are the main questions I would ask from the outset. Other include:
What refrigerant does the heat pump use? This is the fluid at the heart of the system, and acts to transfer heat from the outside air (or ground or water) to the inside of your home. There are many different kinds of refrigerants and all are polluting to varying degrees, although the most environmentally damaging ones causing a depletion of ozone have now been phased out. As refrigerants contribute to global warming if released to the atmosphere, and because some are worse than others, it's worth finding out which one your heat pump uses. Some of the least harmful refrigerants are, somewhat counter-intuitively, fossil fuel based. Bear in mind though that the volume of refrigerant is exceedingly small and is constantly recycled, compared to the continuous burning of fossil gas or oil in a boiler. But given a choice, why not choose the least harmful refrigerant?
Will a buffer tank be installed? Our installer planned to fit one initially but when I questioned whether it was needed they explained I could operate the system without one - and that it would be more efficient - as long as I kept a certain number of radiators open at all times, i.e. they were not closed off with thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs). By not installing a buffer tank we saved money and space, and improved efficiency.
Is there a good operation manual? The manual that comes with my heat pump is quite basic and doesn't get into the level of detail needed to fully understand how to operate it. For that I need to search across 3 different manuals, including a very technical commissioning manual. Ask to see manuals in advance and read them as part of making a decision.
What happens if the heat pump breaks down? My heat pump comes with 2 years parts and labour warranty, and 7 years cover on parts. My installer also offers a regular service contract, as does the manufacturer. It's worth making sure you feel confident that you can get the support you need, when you need it. I can also up or my heat pump manufacturer with technical support questions, a service I have found to be very helpful, although admittedly I wouldn't have needed to use it as much as I have if the manuals were better and the installer did a better job of handover.
These are the main questions I would ask if I was starting out again. If I think of others I'll keep adding to this post, and I'm also happy to correct or clarify any points, so let me know what you think.
While I now feel better equipped to ask the right questions, I have no regrets at all with the choices I made. The design was strong, the install was done to a high standard, the heat pump is good quality and comes with good controls, and the support came through when needed. Plus, we all learned a lot along the way. Crucially, the heat pump is performing well, even in an old home like mine. Despite what you might hear, there is ample evidence to show that heat pumps are suitable for all types of UK homes. They key is to choose a good installer and good equipment. Asking the right questions can help a lot in building confidence by becoming a more intelligent consumer.
Taking a step back and seeing the bigger picture, my home is warmer and more comfortable for lower energy consumption and lower energy costs, and importantly I am no longer burning any gas directly in my home.
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