Heat pump types for Tauranga homes
There's no single best heat pump, just the right one for your rooms, your budget and where you live. Here's how the main types stack up for a Tauranga home.
The main heat pump types are high wall, floor console, ducted, ceiling cassette and multi split. High wall units suit most Tauranga homes and cost the least. The rest solve specific problems, like heating a whole house or hiding the indoor unit. The right pick depends on your rooms and budget.
The high wall unit does the job in most homes
The high wall is the box you see mounted up near the ceiling. It's the cheapest to buy and install, it's quick to fit, and it heats and cools one open area really well. For an older Ōtūmoetai bungalow or a standard three-bedroom in Welcome Bay, one good-sized high wall in the living room usually sorts out the space you actually live in.
In our mild, humid climate you don't need a monster. A well-sized high wall keeps a lounge warm through a damp Tauranga winter for very little on the power bill, and it takes the muggy edge off in summer. If you want more even heat down low, a floor console is worth a look too.
Types that hide away or heat the whole house
Sometimes a high wall isn't the answer. If you're doing an insulated new build in Bethlehem or Papamoa and want every room the same temperature with nothing on the walls, ducted heat pumps run through the roof space and push air out through discreet vents. It's the tidiest option and the dearest.
In between, ceiling cassette heat pumps sit flush in the ceiling and suit a wide open-plan room where a wall unit would look out of place. And if you've got a few rooms to cover but don't want a full ducted system, multi split heat pumps run several indoor units off one outdoor box, which keeps the outside of the house clean.
- Ducted: whole-home, hidden, best for new builds and renovations
- Ceiling cassette: flush in the ceiling, good for large open rooms
- Multi split: several rooms, one outdoor unit
- Floor console: heat low to the floor, easy to reach controls
Coastal salt air changes what you buy
Whatever type you land on, the outdoor unit matters more here than most places. Homes near the water in Mount Maunganui and along the Papamoa coast cop salt-laden air that eats away at standard units. We fit corrosion-rated outdoor units for coastal jobs so the coil and casing last, and we back that up with straightforward heat pump servicing to keep salt buildup off the outdoor coil.
If cooling is your main goal rather than winter heating, it's worth reading up on air conditioning options before you decide, because the type and sizing shift a bit when summer is the priority.
What each type costs to run and install
High walls win on price every time, both to buy and to install. Ducted sits at the top because there's more gear and more labour in the roof. Multi split and cassette land in the middle. Running costs come down to sizing more than type: a unit matched to the room sips power, an oversized one short-cycles and costs you more.
We'll give you real numbers for your place. Have a look at typical heat pump installation cost, then get in touch about heat pump installation in Tauranga and we'll spec the right type for the rooms you want done.
Have a look at our ducted heat pumps, heat pump servicing, floor console heat pumps, ceiling cassette heat pumps, multi split heat pumps, heat pump installation cost, heat pump installation Tauranga and air conditioning options for more.
Not sure which type suits your place?
Give us a rundown of your rooms and we'll tell you honestly what fits, and what it'll cost. Call 027 725 2525.
Common questions about heat pump types
What are the different types of heat pumps?
The main ones are high wall, floor console, ducted, ceiling cassette and multi split. High wall and floor console are single indoor units for one area. Ducted heats the whole house through vents. Cassette sits in the ceiling. Multi split runs several indoor units off one outdoor unit.
Which type of heat pump is best for my home?
It comes down to how many rooms you want covered and your budget. One high wall handles a living area cheaply, which suits most older Tauranga homes. Ducted or multi split makes sense for insulated new builds where you want the whole house even. We'll size it to the actual rooms.
What is the difference between a high wall and floor console heat pump?
A high wall mounts up near the ceiling and blows warm air down, which works well for open living areas. A floor console sits low on the wall like a radiator and pushes heat out at floor level, so your feet feel it sooner. Consoles cost a bit more but suit rooms where you sit still a lot.
Are multi split heat pumps worth it?
They can be, if you've got two or three rooms to cover and don't want a bunch of outdoor units cluttering the house. One outdoor box feeds them all. The trade-off is the outdoor unit is bigger and dearer, and if it needs a repair every connected room is affected at once. For one room a single split is cheaper.
Let's match the right type to your home
From Welcome Bay bungalows to new builds in Bethlehem, we'll pick the type that suits your rooms and the coast. Call 027 725 2525 for a quote.