Has old - fashioned heating had its day?

There’s no denying it: sitting in front of an open fire, electric radiator or log burner feels pretty comforting on a cold winter’s night.

What’s less comforting is what it’s costing you, and what you and your family could be missing out on by not using a heat pump instead.

A modern heat pump–also known by its summertime name of air conditioning unit–is one of the most efficient1and convenient ways there is to heat your home. That’s because rather than generate heat of its own (like a gas heater or log burner does) a heat pump extracts heat energy from the outside air, then uses it to warm the air in your home.

Even at quite cool outside temperatures, the air still contains heat energy. Cleverly using that energy to heat your home is what makes heat pumps so efficient.

So what does that mean to you as a homeowner?

First off, you can expect to save money on your power bill, compared to many other heating sources.

That’s good news for your household budget, but it’s also good news for the planet. A heat pump creates no carbon emissions at point of use and, of course, no smoke out the chimney!

Secondly–and at HRV we think this is a really important benefit–having more efficient and affordable heating means people will be more likely to use it. Keeping within a healthy and comfortable temperature range is one of the best things you can do to create a healthy home.

A solution to suit

When most of us picture a heat pump we see a standalone unit attached to the wall, heating or cooling just one room.

This kind of unit (together with its corresponding outside unit) is called a high wall heat pump. Highwall heat pumps are great if you want to heat just one room, like a family room, study or living area. You can even have more than one installed if you want.

The other heat pump solution you can choose is called a ducted system. You might have been in a home with a ducted heat pump and never even seen it! That’s because a ducted system can heat or cool every room in the house via discreet ceiling vents. The heat pump unit is hidden away in the roof space (there will also be an outdoor unit to collect that heat energy). The whole thing is controlled via a control panel, remote control or optional smartphone app. Whichever system you choose, it might be time to donate those old-fashioned heaters to charity…and tell the old log burner that it’s fired!

1. The most efficient form of purchased space heating commonly available – https://www.level.org.nz/energy/space-heating/heat-pumps/