What's worth knowing

  • Low cost – Heat pumps are cheaper to run than other home heaters.
  • Instant heating (and cooling) – Temperature can be controlled at the flick of a switch and can be turned on and off as needed or set to a timer.
  • Versatile – Heat pumps can heat one room, or many rooms if you buy a ducted system.
  • They can be noisy when running at full power.
  • Future proof – In the near future, our electricity grid will require demand response capabilities in equipment – heat pumps can offer this.
  • Low emission – Heat pumps are 100% electric. New Zealand’s highly renewable electricity grid makes them a low emission option – but remember, they don't work during a power cut.
  • Very efficient - Heat pumps can put out three times more heat than the power they consume.

  • More stars, more efficient

    Using a heat pump with 3 stars on the Energy Rating Label uses 34% less energy than a similar heat pump with only 1 star. New Zoned Energy Rating Labels also tell you which models suit different climates.

  • When to switch off

    Lots of people think that it’s more efficient to keep your heat pump running all the time. This is incorrect – make sure you turn your heat pump off when you’re not in the room and when you leave the house, it’ll save you money and avoid wasted energy.

Run your heat pump efficiently

Heat pumps come with built-in features to help you better control the amount of energy you use.

  • Use the timer to warm the room just before you get home and switch off when you don't need it. 
  • Set the thermostat between 19ºC and 21ºC – this keeps your home warm and dry, while saving power. 
  • Set the fan to ‘auto’ mode – this will let the pump optimise its fan speed.  
  • If you want to heat a room up quickly, set it the fan to ‘high’ as this also has great efficiency. 
  • Only set the fan to 'low' if you really need it to be quiet – this will reduce the efficiency for the unit and increase your power bill.  
  • Heat pumps sometimes blow cold air during very cold weather, to defrost the outdoor unit. This is normal, and it should be back to heating in a few minutes. 
  • Clean the removable filter with a vacuum cleaner or warm water every couple of months. It's easy and stops the filter from getting clogged, which stops the air from flowing.  

  • Warmer Kiwi Homes

    Warmer Kiwi Homes grants cover 80% of the cost of approved insulation and up to 80% of the cost of approved heaters. If you own and live in a house built before 2008, and either live in a lower-income area or have a Community Services Card, you may be eligible.

Using a heat pump with 3 stars on the Energy Rating Label generates 34% less emissions than a similar heat pump with only 1 star.

Run your heat pump efficiently

Heat pumps come with built-in features to help you better control the amount of energy you use.

  • Use the timer to warm the room just before you get home and switch off when you don't need it.
  • Set the thermostat between 19ºC and 21ºC – this keeps your home warm and dry, while saving power.
  • Set the fan to ‘auto’ mode – this will let the pump optimise its fan speed.
  • If you want to heat a room up quickly, set it the fan to ‘high’ as this also has great efficiency.
  • Only set the fan to 'low' if you really need it to be quiet – this will reduce the efficiency for the unit and increase your power bill.
  • Heat pumps sometimes blow cold air during very cold weather, to defrost the outdoor unit. This is normal, and it should be back to heating in a few minutes.
  • Clean the removable filter with a vacuum cleaner or warm water every couple of months. It's easy and stops the filter from getting clogged, which stops the air from flowing.