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Residential Heat Pump Water Heating

Heat Pump Water Heating is providing New Zealand homeowners with a cost-efficient, sustainable alternative way to heat their water. By utilising heat from the surrounding air, heat pump water heaters need less energy to create hot water than traditional heaters that rely purely on gas or electricity. Hot water heat pumps are an energy efficient and low emissions technology that significantly reduce household water heating costs.

Hot water heating accounts for around 30% of the average Kiwi household’s energy use, so choosing an efficient system makes a big difference. Heat pumps are highly energy-efficient compared to traditional water heating options, typically using 60 - 75% less electricity than conventional electric hot water systems while delivering the same temperature and volume. They work by capturing ‘free’ energy from ambient air and upgrading it to provide more useful energy than they consume. In contrast, standard electric cylinders only return what you put in, and gas systems lose efficiency through heat losses.

Because they use less electricity, hot water heat pumps have the lowest running costs and lowest greenhouse gas emissions of any water heating option. They are substantially cheaper to run than electric resistance cylinders and even more cost-effective than gas water heating - especially in areas with higher electricity prices. While the upfront cost is higher than some alternatives, the long-term savings and environmental benefits make heat pump water heating a smart investment for Kiwi homes.

• Heat pump water heaters have a fan that draws outside air into the cylinder through inlet louvres.
• An evaporator is then able to absorb the heat from the air and transfer it into the water through a heat exchanger.
• The cold air is discharged through the air outlet louvres and released back into the atmosphere.
• This process continues until the required water temperature is reached – which means readily available hot water for the household. Even on cloudy or cold days, heat can be drawn from the surrounding air.