Ducted/Multi-head Heat Pump

[PC]

Anyone installed one lately?

Us poor Aucklanders are finding it a little chilly.
Brrrrr < 10 degrees.

Was wondering how best to heat multiple rooms?

[PTILoveYou]

We have a new two storey house built last year, and we only have one giant heatpump in the middle of the lounge/dinning ceiling on the 1st floor.
Bedrooms we just use fan heaters for the ground floor bedrooms.
1st floor master bedroom is warm enough.


Fan heater for bedrooms??

[PC]

We have one of those "low emission" fire places in the lounge - very nice - too hot.
And the bedrooms way down the hall - too cold.

Probably need a heat transfer system.
But investigating heat pumps - cooling in summer would be good also.

[PTILoveYou]

Well those systems aren't cheap, so what would be the cost difference between say running 4 small fan heaters each bedroom, for about 10min max, vs say either a heat transfer HRV type system or multi-duct heatpump?

Ie the cost of a heat transfer HRV type system or multi-duct heatpump may be say $3000.

4 fan heaters (probably run two or three at a time?), 10min max per day, 30c per kwatt/hr?? $3000 might be able to run these little bad boys for a long long time.

[PC]

3 room system ~$6K+.
So yep - just use small room heater instead.

But those heat pumps are so cool & shiny!

[PTILoveYou]

3 room system ~$6K+.
So yep - just use small room heater instead.

But those heat pumps are so cool & shiny!

$6k is probably your extra electricity bill to run the room heaters for a few decades!

[helenalex]

We have ducted gas central heating. There is a machine in the roof which sucks air in from a big vent in the hallway wall, heats it, and pumps it out through smaller vents in the ceilings. We have one controller for the lounge and bathroom and another one for the bedrooms. In retrospect it would have been sensible to get seperate controllers for each bedroom.

It cost about $7000 for a standard 3 bedroom villa. The gas bill is quite high but the house is lovely and warm, so it's worth it - coming home to a warm house (we time it to come on 15 minutes before we get home) is magnificent. We had the same system in our last two rentals and it was something we were very happy to pay extra rent for.

Don't know how it compares to a heat pump, except that you don't have a giant thing on the wall. You can also get the vents through the floor if there's not enough roof space or the ceilings are more than 3m.

[ivanp]

Don't know how it compares to a heat pump, except that you don't have a giant thing on the wall.

With current prices, ducted heat pump most likely is cheaper to run than ducted gas central heating.

Reason: gas prices (per kw) are approximately 3.5 cheaper than electricity, and ducted heat pumps have COP around 3.5 as well, so running cost of a 100% efficient (theoretical) gas central heating is about the same as of heat pump.

BUT there's no such thing as 100% efficient gas fired heating: it exhausts to atmosphere, so it can't be 100% efficient. Typical efficiency for gas central heating is probably around 70-80% these days...

[DIY Donz]

Like you we have a fire in the living area but put a heat transfer system in and it's marvellous. From memory the kit was about $650 (3 rooms) and the cost of an electrician to install it. It was part of a reno so not sure on the breakdown cost. I think it took 2 guys half a day to do. We've had the bedrooms up to about 20-21 degrees and I also leave the bathroom and toilet doors open so the whole house warms up to some degree. Very pleasant to go from a very warm lounge to a slightly cooler bedroom but not too cold to get undressed. Note it's not a heat exchange system just a simple heat transfer with insulated ducting.

[Wayne]

If you already have a large heat source (fire) then a simple heat transfer kit is what you want.
You don't really need HRV etc.
We installed a ducted heat pump in our new house a few years back - better than a gas system because it can cool as well.
But it is big - can do something like 14kw.

[Davo36]

If you already have a large heat source (fire) then a simple heat transfer kit is what you want.
You don't really need HRV etc.
We installed a ducted heat pump in our new house a few years back - better than a gas system because it can cool as well.
But it is big - can do something like 14kw.

Wayne, is it affordable to run?

[donnyboy]

dont forget to add more insulation in the ceiling space if needed, it definitely does wonders in keeping the heat in your home, ensure a even coverage, no gaps apart from the non compliant downlights etc go polyester if budget allows

[donnyboy]

Don't know how it compares to a heat pump, except that you don't have a giant thing on the wall. You can also get the vents through the floor if there's not enough roof space or the ceilings are more than 3m.

theres no giant thing on the wall with a ducted heat pump, just vents in the rooms and a return grill, with a big outdoor unit out back usually

[Wayne]

Wayne, is it affordable to run?

Our energy bill for 309sqm house is around $280/mth in the winter.

[drelly]

I'm in a business group with an aircon guy. He said that the absolute best option is a fully ducted air conditioning system He put one in his own house. Costs about $16k retail I think.