Heat pumps (or “reverse cycle air-conditioners”) heat your home using the same technology as a refrigerator – but in reverse. They take heat from the air outside the house and transfer that heat inside using the vapour compression refrigeration cycle.
An important distinction between traditional home heating options and a heat pump is this: Because they extract existing heat from the outside air, heat pumps don’t actually use electricity to generate heat – which means they can be radically cheaper to operate than a battery of traditional heaters.
Even when it gets down below zero degrees, there is still “warmth” in the air that can be utilised. In New Zealand a good quality heat pump should still perform effectively when the temperature drops well below zero degrees Celsius, provided it is sized and installed correctly. Panasonic features heat pump models that work right down to -20ºC.
Compared to other heating options, a new heat pump can be a fairly large up-front cost. However, the investment is worthwhile because when sized correctly and used wisely, a good quality heat pump pumps HEAT in the winter, COOLS and DEHUMIDIFIES in the summer, can FILTER the air, is energy efficient, and can even save you significant amounts on your power bill.
Choosing a heat pump
When choosing a heat pump, there are four important steps to take:
- Choose a quality brand from a reputable supplier that offers at least a five-year warranty on parts and labour.
- Look for the ENERGY STAR® and Energy Rating labels to choose the most energy efficient heat pump to meet your needs. An ENERGY STAR® qualified heat pump is the very best.
- Size the heat pump correctly to suit the space you want to heat. Correct sizing of a heat pump ensures the unit performs well even at low winter temperatures. Your heat pump supplier will be able to help you with this.
- Use a qualified installer to install the unit correctly.