Heat pump installation
Heat pump installation in Westmere
A heat pump is one of the most effective ways to warm a Westmere bungalow or state house, and it has to be installed by a licensed electrician. We install heat pumps across the peninsula, with the wiring, the protection at the switchboard and the outdoor unit planned around your house rather than squeezed in.
Warming an older house
Westmere's bungalows and state houses were built long before anyone expected a whole living area to be warm on a winter evening. A heat pump changes that more than most upgrades can. EECA, the government's energy efficiency agency, says a heat pump is usually the best option for larger rooms, and that the average heat pump in New Zealand puts out about three times as much heat as the electricity it uses.
EECA's guide to choosing an efficient heat pump is also clear that the installation needs a licensed electrician. That is the part we do: the supply from the switchboard, the protection and isolation, and the electrical connection of the indoor and outdoor units, finished with testing and the certificate that applies. If the house is still poorly insulated, EECA's advice is to deal with that too, because a heat pump in a draughty room has to work much harder.
Single-split, multi-split or ducted
EECA describes three common types. Which one suits depends on how many rooms you want to heat and how the house is laid out.
Single-split
One outdoor unit and one indoor unit heating one room, usually the living area. Straightforward to install and the most common choice.
Multi-split
One outdoor unit serving several indoor units in different rooms, which suits a bungalow with bedrooms off a central hallway.
Ducted
Central heating that blows warm air through ducts into several rooms. It can cost more up front, and it needs ceiling or floor space for the ducts.
The electrical side of an installation
Check the switchboard
A heat pump wants its own circuit. If your board has no room, or still uses fuse wire, a switchboard upgrade in Westmere may be the first step.
Plan the outdoor unit
The outdoor unit needs a firm base, air around it and a cable and pipe route to the indoor unit. On a tight section it also needs a spot where its noise will not bother you or the neighbours. Close to the harbour, ask the supplier whether the model you are choosing is suited to coastal air.
Wire, protect and isolate
We run the dedicated circuit from the switchboard, fit the protection and the isolation, and connect the units.
Test and hand over
The installation is tested, you receive the certificate that applies, and we show you the controls before we leave.
Getting the most from it
EECA's advice on running a heat pump is worth following from the first day. Set it between 18 and 21 degrees, which is warm enough to fight damp and mould without wasting power. Use the timer to warm the room shortly before you get home or wake up, rather than leaving it running around the clock, which EECA says uses more energy overall. And clean the removable filter about once a month through winter.
If a new heat pump is part of a wider renovation, it is worth planning it alongside rewiring the older circuits, so the new circuit goes into an installation that is fit for it.
Heat pump questions
Can I have a heat pump in a house with old wiring?
Usually, once the supply is right. The heat pump gets its own new circuit, but it still depends on the switchboard and the main supply, so we check those first and tell you if anything needs upgrading.
Will it cool the house in summer as well?
Yes. Heat pumps run in reverse as air conditioners, so the same unit keeps a sunny room comfortable in summer.
My heat pump keeps tripping the power. Can you help?
If the cause is electrical, such as a tripping circuit, a failed isolator or a supply that was never wired properly, we can trace and repair it. A fault in the refrigeration side of the unit is a job for its installer or a heat pump service technician.
Where should the indoor unit go?
Usually in the room you use most, mounted high where its air can spread across the space rather than blowing straight at a chair or bed. We look at the room with you and suggest a position that suits the furniture and the route to the outdoor unit.
Do you install heat pumps in offices and shops?
Yes. We do commercial electrical work as well as residential, so a shop, cafe or office can have the same planning and installation.
Talk to an electrician about your Westmere home
Call 021 156 4005 any time of the day or night, or send the details below and we will get back to you.
Other services for Westmere homes
House rewiring
Replacing worn or overloaded wiring in Westmere's bungalows and state houses, room by room or the whole house, tested and certified.Switchboard upgrades
Old fuse boards replaced with modern circuit breakers and RCD protection, with the inspection arranged where the law requires one.Fault finding and repairs
Tracing tripping circuits, dead power points, flickering lights and hot sockets to the cause, then repairing it.24/7 emergency call-outs
An electrician on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for power loss, burning smells, storm damage and anything unsafe.LED and garden lighting
LED downlights, kitchen and living room lighting, and outdoor and garden lighting for Westmere homes.Oven and cooktop repairs
Electrical repairs to ovens, cooktops and waste disposals, from failed elements to tripping circuits.Enquiries
Contact us
Call 021 156 4005, or tell us what is happening and where, and we will get back to you.
021 156 4005- Auckland
- Call-outs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week