Christchurch... Start Your Heat Pumps!

​What’s Up With The Weather?

After two months of the warmest winters in Christchurch on record, we’re going to be hit with an icy cold snap and snowfall down to a “very, very low-level.”

So far Christchurch has managed to escape the worst of the winter weather that has plagued the rest of the country. Our heat pumps have hardly had a work out! 
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Now it seems all of winter is set to hit Christchurch over one weekend!

Spring Sprung Early in Christchurch

Daffodils have been seen sprouting in Hagley Park already, some livestock have given birth to young lambs and calves much earlier than usual. Parts of Canterbury have been gripped by the longest official drought ever, missing out on the seasonal cold and rain. Ski fields around Canterbury delayed the start of their winter seasons because of the lack of snow.

Winter has been coming for a long time. Finally it seems, winter is here!

​What Can You Do?

Start by cleaning your heat pump. If you haven’t been using it much over winter, or you’ve had it on every day since June, your heat pump will be working harder over the next few days as temperatures drop around Christchurch.
Here’s a handy, step-by-step guide for cleaning your heat pump. Carefully vacuum the filters and coil to remove dirt and clear the way for maximum air flow.

​Check Your Outdoor Heat Pump Unit

The warmer weather has probably encouraged more garden growth. Clear the area around your outdoor heat pump unit so it can gather as much warm air as possible. If you’re not sure how a heat pump works, click here and all will be explained.

Prepare Your Christchurch Home

Heat pumps work by transferring heat from one place to another. When temperatures in Christchurch drop below freezing this becomes harder to do, and so your heat pump won’t work as efficiently as they should. 

Only Mitsubishi Hypercore heat pumps are guaranteed to pump their maximum amount of heat right down to minus 15 degrees Celsius. Hopefully it won’t get that cold in Christchurch, but the difference in temperature between 5 degrees and 0 degrees has a big impact on what your heat pump can deliver. 

Block up the gaps around doors and windows to try and keep as much of the heat inside as possible. Hang thick, thermal curtains and close them early in the afternoon. 

In the short-term, you may need another source of heating to top up where your heat pump is lacking. It’s not ideal, and slightly ironic that some heat pumps won’t work when we need them most. Up until now, it hasn’t been an issue in Christchurch and temperatures haven’t dropped low enough to impact the performance of most heat pumps. 

This winter has been an anomaly, but even during regular Christchurch winters we don’t get many days where temperatures struggle to reach above zero. If you want a heat pump that will work on those rare occasions when freezing temperatures last, Heat Pumps NOW recommends upgrading to a Mitsubishi Hypercore heat pump.

Still, there is something to look forward to. Spring is nearly here and this cold snap isn’t set to last for long. In the meantime, prepare your heat pump as best you can for the wintry front heading towards Christchurch. Take care of yourselves and stay warm.

If you’d like your heat pump serviced, or you have questions about upgrading to a Mitsubishi Hypercore unit, contact the team at Heat Pumps NOW on 03 377 7393.