Heatpump installers in Christchurch

[SharpBlade]

Hello.... winter is looming and I can see there are active threads regarding central heating and DVS... I am launching the heatpump thread.

We are about to have 2 heatpumps installed in our house and are asking for quotes from different companies (Gavin Lowe, Ovalair, Enviro Master and Hartnell Coolheat). So far, we have received 2 quotes back and the price difference is substantial. Another Sales person is calling in tomorrow. There are loads of heatpump installers in Christchurch but I think we will decide between the 4 quotes. Still, I wonder if anybody has used one of these installers before. Would appreciate some feedback as price is not the only thing to consider... We would prefer to pay a fair price for a quality job than to pay for a rubbish job with poor service.

Thanks in advance

[Croft]

SB - do you know if any offer a ground sourced option? This is something we'd be interested in when we move over.

[Junnifer USA]

Great idea about the thread...and how about insulation issues included. Someone in Chch had glazed windows put in at a reasonable price...I can't find their post.
And I am looking to replace some carpeting before we sell...any suggestions.
Thanks,
Jen

[SharpBlade]

Croft, they only offer air/air solutions as far as I know. None has ever mentioned ground/air solutions.

[SharpBlade]

Tonight, we got the representative from Enviro Master. After measuring and discussing, he provided us with a quote on the spot. So far, this has been the most interesting representative: he insisted on selecting the most efficient heat pumps (C.O.P., noise level) for the volumes to heat, took into account that one room was not insulated (... it is just a concrete wall so I think we will try to put some plasterboard panels up and to insulate before the heatpump is installed) and on positioning the indoor units in the best location. Croft, I asked about the availability of the ground/air systems and I was said that the main argument against these systems is that they are more expensive to install and that would put people off. There is a list of Ecan registered retailers for installing heatpumps, you can have a look at. We can not benefit from any subsidy from ECan but it is still a handy contact list.

[Croft]

Thanks SB - they are indeed more expensive to install but cheaper over 10 years (apparently!). They're getting a lot more media exposure in the UK now as they provide a reasonable consistent level of heating in the winter and cooling in the summer for very little cost, especially if combined with underfloor heating/cooling. My friends wife is an architect and they're installing the system in all new build county buildings now, where they have the land to lay the required piping (although, again, you can go vertical and drill down but that is more expensive again for obvious reasons).

Many thanks for asking anyway!

[Super_BQ]

We use heatpumps in our house. However, I find their effectiveness to be moot at best when it comes to heating. The heatpump's efficiency is greatly handicapped when the temperature outside is near 0°C. When my uncle said a 7KW equivalent heat pump system was going to be installed in the house, I knew that the #s don't add up. The brand was Daiken and despite the high Kw ratings, real world conditions don't seem to be a factor.

Anotherwords at times when you really need heat in your room (when it's cold outside), you'll find the heat pump can't simply deliver the heat; thus totally relying on the max Kw draw from the circuit breaker panel (3Kw).

Really, I find heatpumps work better as air conditioners (cold air) in the summer than heaters. They commonly mounted in the ceiling when heat should really come from the floor level.

For old homes built 10+ years ago, it's really difficult to make them more energy efficient. As much as your heater can pump the heat out in a large room, that same very heat is escaping outside through the aluminum framed windows and gib framing/studs etc..

BQ

[Croft]

I've been searching for a while for any potential suppliers of ground source heat pump (GSHPs) in NZ, and, just found this page - http://www.warmfloor.co.nz/assocproducts.htm

As far as I can make out, it's ideally suited for underfloor heating, which means adding it to an existing dwelling would be a problem.

[Super_BQ]

I'm not a fan of this form of heating in the home. It presents the following problems:

1) Unhygenic: People like carpets and when you furnish carpet in rooms with underground heating, you're asking for nasties. Over years food and drinks spill on the floor and the vacuum cleaner never sucks it all out. The warm temperature concrete creates a great environment for bacterial and fungus to form.

2) Heavy on Electricity: Concrete and tiles require huge amounts of power to get them up to temperature. I heard a landloard in Chch had rented a flat out to some uni students. His eyes nearly popped out when he saw an $800 power bill. People in N. America can afford to heat their homes at 22 celcious throughout the winter 24/hrs/day. But at 18 - 22 cents/kW in NZ, I think the landlord must of had US/Can tenants.

3) Inefficient: Besides trying to heat your room, you're also heating the concrete foundation of the house which is connectd to the outside of the house.

In short, it's hard to convert an old home to have the same comfort as new modern homes. It's like putting a fuel-injection, ABS brakes, air-bags, etc. in an old classic car.. where the cheapest latest car will still do circles around it on the track.

BQ

[Croft]

You make some inertesting points about underflloor heating SuperBQ. I guess that's something to discuss with a supplier. I'm still rather taken with GSHP though, even if it's only rigged to a 'conventional' ducting system.