WEST AUCKLAND PLUMBER – Hot water heating, Heat pump hot water cylinders
At Laser Plumbing Te Atatu, we love giving our clients a range of options when it comes to your plumbing and drainage needs. We’re often asked for recommendations about the best way to heat water for the home.
We offer a full range of hot water heating systems, so in this article we are putting the focus on heat pump hot water cylinders. They’re possibly not as well-known as some other water heating systems, but they’re a great option to consider if you’re looking for a new hot water system.
How does a heat pump hot water (HPHW) system work?
The easiest way to simplify this is to think about how a heat pump works, and then think about how a hot water cylinder works … and then put the two together.
Heat pump water heaters use energy from the outside air and then store it in an insulated cylinder.
They use electrical energy and a refrigerant to extract energy from outdoor heat to heat the water. The water is then stored in an insulated hot water tank. You have a supply of water heated to a specified temperature in your hot water cylinder on stand-by, ready when you need it.
Can a heat pump hot water (HPHW) system be used anywhere?
In theory, yes, they can be used anywhere. But if you live in a very cold climate, a heat pump hot water cylinder may not necessarily be as efficient as it could be. The warmer the temperature of the outside air is, the more efficiently the heat pump heater runs. Not all heat pumps will run in colder temperatures and the system may revert to an electric element as a backup, which means they are not suitable for all geographic locations in New Zealand.
You will also need to ensure you live in the right environment – in geothermal or coastal areas the system requires suitable protection against corrosion. As with other tank-based systems, heat pump water heaters need to be installed correctly to ensure the water temperature is maintained at 60°C to prevent the growth of legionella bacteria.
Is a heat pump hot water (HPHW) system more efficient than other systems?
There are a number of advantages of installing a hot water heat pump system:
- They can be up to three times more energy-efficient than conventional electric resistance hot water cylinders.
- They suit households that have moderate to high hot water needs and they have relatively low running costs; however, they can be expensive to install, with high upfront costs.
- A well designed and installed system will use a lot less energy than standard electric cylinders.
- Heat pump water heaters can also work in places that aren’t good for solar water heaters, such as locations that get less sun (south side of hills).
- Some heat pump water heating systems can also have a dual function as central heating; they do this by pumping the warm water from the hot tank around underfloor heating pipes.
- The system can also be modified to heat water for a hot tub, spa or swimming pool more efficiently than an electric heater.
- You are able to retro-fit a heat pump system to work with an existing conventional hot water storage cylinder.
- Heat pumps may be installed in a room (e.g. a furnace room) to cool it and heat your water at the same time.
Does the heat pump need to be situated beside the hot water cylinder?
There are two types of systems:
Standalone Heat Pump Hot Water System – the heat pump water heater system is an integrated unit with a built-in hot water storage tank and backup resistance heating elements.
Split System Heat Pump Hot Water System –the system is split. The compressor unit is outside and the hot water tank can be either inside or outside the house, separate from the compressor. They don’t need to be side by side, but that can be.
Can I convert our existing hot water cylinder to a heat pump hot water system?
In some cases you can retro-fit and use your existing hot water tank. Give us a call and we can determine if this is possible for your system.
If it’s time to replace your existing water heating system and you’d like to know more about a heat pump hot water cylinder, give us a call.
THE SUMICH DIFFERENCE
There are a number of plumbing and drainage companies in Auckland, so why choose Sumich?
Founded by owner-operator Chris Sumich in 1991, Laser Plumbing Te Atatu has one of the most experienced teams operating in Auckland. Our team has a combined experience of over 100 years and we’ve seen a comprehensive range of scenarios and solutions over the years. Clients trust us to give honest, transparent advice and service.
As registered members of the New Zealand Plumbers, Drainlayers & Gasfitters Association, we are professional, licensed Auckland plumbers for all of your plumbing, drain laying, gas fitting and heating needs. Give us a call to see how we can help.