Who knows about heat pumps?

**slofox** · 17th January 2011, 12:32

Looks like I sold me house. Now I hafta find somewhere else to live. The one I am looking at has no heating but looks a prime candidate for a heat pump - if I can get it cheap enough (the house that is, not the heat pump).

Since I know eff all about heat pumps I thought I wold consult that repository of all knowledge and enlightenment, KIWIBIKER!

So tell me, good people, what I need to know.

Are their differences between brands?

Are there good and bad installers to deal with? (In or around The Tron)

How wildly do prices vary?

What traps are there for the unwary?

How do we know if a quote is realistic or not?

Is there a formula for calculating how many gazillawatts we need?

Thanks in advance for your input. Most useful answer will be showered with bling...

**neels** · 17th January 2011, 12:49

My neighbor who installs them only installs mitsubishi, fujitsu and panasonic, won't touch anything else because he can't be arsed with the phone calls when it doesn't work properly.

A good installer should be able to tell you what size unit you need for the area you want to heat, it's tempting to think they are upsizing to try and get more money out of you, but as above they'd rather err on the larger size so they don't get phone calls when it doesn't work properly.

There are good installers and bad installers, word of mouth and check out their work is the best way to find a good one, although there are fujitsu and mitsi approved ones who should be a step up from the average cowboy.

**Scuba_Steve** · 17th January 2011, 13:15

as above (neels) those 3 brands tend to be the best might be slight more expensive up front than some other brands but they will more than save you in the long run.

Something to consider (as most people don't) is a heat pump WILL cost money to run think most avg an extra 30$/month (this obviously will be highly dependant on usage, temp, room size, ambient temp etc.). But just don't be fooled by their "cheap" running status they are cheaper than alot of other heating options but they are not "cheap".

**HenryDorsetCase** · 17th January 2011, 13:31

Originally Posted by slofox

Looks like I sold me house. Now I hafta find somewhere else to live. The one I am looking at has no heating but looks a prime candidate for a heat pump - if I can get it cheap enough (the house that is, not the heat pump).

Since I know eff all about heat pumps I thought I wold consult that repository of all knowledge and enlightenment, KIWIBIKER!

So tell me, good people, what I need to know.

Are their differences between brands?

Are there good and bad installers to deal with? (In or around The Tron)

How wildly do prices vary?

What traps are there for the unwary?

How do we know if a quote is realistic or not?

Is there a formula for calculating how many gazillawatts we need?

Thanks in advance for your input. Most useful answer will be showered with bling...

I researched it a bit when we decided we'd had enough of being cold: my focus was on heating for our bedroom, with some extra bonus heating for that end of our house. At the time (18 months ago) the consensus seemed to be either Mitsubishi Electric or Daikin: We got M E because it was thought to be quieter in operation than the Daikin, which was important to us because it was going in our bedroom.

Got a few guys round, and prices (total) didnt vary too much. I was recommended an outfit and they got the job even though they werent the cheapest. They were good, and their installer had a complete nightmare due to some unique features of our house. There was a post-installation problem, and the owner of the business fronted up, said "Yep, we'll sort that shit out for you". And then did. Which I liked a lot.

The extra bonus feature has been that we have been using the thing to cool our house down this summer when its been so frickin hot. Fantastic.

Two things I learned: Make sure your insulation in the new place is up to scratch first: pointless chucking money at a sieve. There are two types of Mitsubishi heat pump: one is I think commercial, and one domestic. think Mitsubishi is commercial and Mitsubishi Electric is domestic.

Take the advice of the people who instal them as to what size you need.

Be conscious that if your entire heating is via this, if you have no power, you have no heating. I found that out one crisp September morning last year.

they are pretty cheap to run, too: so much so that I want to get rid of our gas heater in the other end of the house and replace it with a huuuuuge heatpump. $$$$ though.

**HenryDorsetCase** · 17th January 2011, 13:34

Originally Posted by Scuba_Steve

as above (neels) those 3 brands tend to be the best might be slight more expensive up front than some other brands but they will more than save you in the long run.

Something to consider (as most people don't) is a heat pump WILL cost money to run think most avg an extra 30$/month (this obviously will be highly dependant on usage, temp, room size, ambient temp etc.). But just don't be fooled by their "cheap" running status they are cheaper than alot of other heating options but they are not "cheap".

Just as an idea, we have a gas catalytic heater thing in our lounge, which runs through (in midwinter) a 45kg LPG cylinder in about 3 weeks. that is about $30/week for half the house warmed tepidly. tepidly.

**steve_t** · 17th January 2011, 13:39

My installer recommended Daikin for single units or a Panasonic unit to vent the whole house. I decided to do the whole house though it cost shitloads. Hopefully, it adds well to the value of the house.
Anyway, costs do vary wildly so shop around. Try at least both Four Seasons and Eastside Refrigeration for quotes. They'll need a floor plan of the house or at least some dimensions.
Oh, make sure you get an Inverter heat pump - easily worth the slight extra cost

**Edbear** · 17th January 2011, 13:48

Who's that ex cricketer guy on the telly? He knows....

**steve_t** · 17th January 2011, 13:49

Originally Posted by Edbear

Who's that ex cricketer guy on the telly? He knows....

I heard Stephen Flemming's Fujitsu heat pumps weren't the most reliable... unsure about how accurate that is

**spajohn** · 17th January 2011, 14:02

While Consumer reports probably deserve a bit of the criticism they get this may be of interest: http://www.consumer.org.nz/reports/heat-pumps

**JimO** · 17th January 2011, 14:39

get a big fuckoff logburner, we have a masport le5000 its our only heating in the middle of winter here it heats my large 2 storey 1910 house no worries with a ceiling fan to push the heat about, we go through around 8m of wood a year buy it around xmas for $70 a cube, and it will work in a power cut. I work on new houses all the time jam packed with heat pumps, people think they are free to run, until they get the bill

**Hoon** · 17th January 2011, 14:49

We got the cricket dude heat pump put in a couple years ago. Best $2500 I've ever spent on the house. Probably costs us an extra $50-100 a month in power though mainly because we don't care. We leave it on 24x7x365 about 18C in summer and 22C in winter. Bonus is no flies or hay fever and not having to open/close windows everytime you get home/go out.

**firefighter** · 17th January 2011, 15:04

I had a flash new Fujitsu in my old place, and even in a small 2 bedroom it cost a fortune to run.

I'd never get one again.

**NinjaNanna** · 17th January 2011, 15:24

Pretty sure my fujitsu has a 7yr warranty, that's what clinched it for me over the equivelant Mitsubishi unit.

While the points already been made though, I'll second that I wouldn't get one if the power in my area was unreliable.

Best part of heat pumps is instant heat and no wood chopping. Oh yeah and reverse cycle can be nice sometimes too.

**p.dath** · 17th January 2011, 16:10

I've had several Daikin's and been real happy with all of them.

Currently I have a larger older unit in the main living area. It is about 8kw. It is maybe 7 to 10 years old, and still going without having to be touched (except cleaning the filters every 6 months, which I do myself). You don't notice it compared to the noise of the TV, but would notice it if everything was off and silent.

I have a smaller 5kw unit downstairs outside all of the bedrooms. I used a smaller unit because it is much quieter. You don't notice is running at all.

I have both units fitted with hepa filters - to get rid of allergens, as one of the children gets allergic reactions easily.

I only run them when it gets cold, or it gets humid (can't sleep). They keep the house nice and dry and mould free as well.

I can't sing there praises highly enough.