To Heat Pump Or Not To Heat Pump?

Leave It On or Switch It Off?

​Can we answer the ongoing debate as old as heat pumps themselves: How can you most effectively use your heat pump?

When the weather gets cold in Christchurch people fall into one of two camps.

1. Switch the heat pump on only when you’re home. Smart people will set the timer so their heat pump can warm the room before they get out of bed, or arrive home from work. Also, Wi-Fi connectivity through smart phones means some people can turn their heat pump on and off from wherever they are, whenever they feel like it, so home is nice and warm when they arrive.
2. When winter hits Christchurch, the heat pump goes on and stays on!

To be clear, there’s no right or wrong answer. Personal preference plays a big part. Here are some of the reasons for each side of the heat pump argument.

Heat Pumps Keep You Home Warm And Dry

The idea behind leaving the heat pump on all winter is that it’s easy to maintain a constant temperature.

DID YOU KNOW a heat pump uses twice as much power to start up and heat the room than it does to maintain a constant temperature? It’s worth remembering that heat pumps aren’t like fan or element heaters that burn energy. They’re constantly shifting air from one place to another using a compressor. You can read more about how heat pumps work here. Once a room reaches the temperature you want, your heat pump doesn’t need to work so hard, and uses less energy to keep you warm.

There are lots of advantages to keeping a room at a constant temperature, both for your home and your household. Winters in Christchurch can be harsh. Temperatures plummet, allowing condensation and moisture to build up in your home which can grow into mould. ​

Clear The Air With A Heat Pump

​By recycling the air, constantly running a heat pump prevents moisture build up, removing condensation and mould spores before they get a chance.

It comes as no surprise that as Christchurch cools down, coughs, colds and flu rates go up. Resting while cooped-up inside is one way to recover, but closing the home to keep it warm allows germs and bacteria to grow and infect everyone else in the household.

Heat pumps prevent the spread of infection around Christchurch by cycling the air. Even though windows, curtains and doors are closed to keep the heat in, heat pumps are constantly replacing the air in your home with fresh air from outside. It sounds a bit like magic, but just think of your heat pump was working like your fridge, but in reverse. Filters inside the heat pumps catch and kill germs and bacteria to help keep your family healthy.

Of course, the colder the outside air in wintery Christchurch, the harder your heat pump needs to work to shift warm air inside. Anyone who’s needed to visit the bathroom in the middle of a cold, Christchurch winter’s night knows the dilemma of whether to get up or hold it in. Nights are generally when it gets coldest, so unless you have a Mitsubishi Hypercore heat pump which can run efficiently up to -16 degrees, your heat pump will be less efficient.

Insulation and keeping your heat inside your home is important!

Heat Pumps & Insulation - A Winning Combonation

If your home is well-insulated, it should retain some of the heat generated during the evening when the heat pump was last on until the morning. If your home isn’t well insulated, your heat pump may be working all night just so warmth can escape outside. If you only want to make sure your home is warm when you get up, the timer will work just fine.

At the end of the day, whether you leave your heat pump on permanently over winter or not is up to you. If you’re home most of the day looking after children or you’re retired, leaving the heat pump on is a good option. Staying warm and breathing clean air all day will help you stay well and prevent illness, while keeping your home dry. If you’re only home for a brief period in the morning and evening and spend most of your day at work, you might want to read the manual and learn how to set the timer.

If you’re worried about pets at home, condensation build up, mould, electricity bills or the freezing walk to the bathroom in the middle of the night, obviously you will need to find a solution that works for you.

If you’d like to know more about heating solutions for your home, contact the team at Heat Pumps NOW on 03 377 7393. We can provide you with options to keep you toasty all winter, however you decide to use it.