Dunedin heat pump buyers guide blog shares their 10 frequently-asked-questions and answers about heatpumps.

1.What is a heat pump, and how does it work? A heat pump is a heater, air conditioner all in one. It heats and cools; it dehumidifies and keeps the air clear of dust and allergens. A heat pump works by pulling warm air from outside and circulating it in your home.

2.Is a heat pump suitable to use in a house where someone has asthma? Yes because effectively a heat pump traps and kills harmful bacteria and pollens, keeping your home healthy and free of allergens.

3.How can a heat pump heat in the freezing conditions of Otago? Even though it is freezing outside there is still warm air particles that the heat pump will be able to draw in to heat your home. All heat pumps will need to go through a defrost mode before they are able to start heating. Most heat pumps can still heat if it is -10 outside and some of the better models can heat even if it is -15.

4.Do heat pumps take up a lot of room? Absolutely not. Heat pumps are designed to be unobtrusive in their size and colour.

5.How much does it cost to run a heat pump? Heat pumps transfer heat from outside air and into your home and because of this they produce 3 - 4 times more heat. Essentially this means for every 5kw of heat you are paying for 1.5kw of energy. Heat pump heating is roughly one quarter the cost of electric heating.

6.Are heat pumps noisy? Short answer to this is no. The source of noise with a typical heat pump is air flowing in from the outdoor unit. It is marginally higher than background noise and is usually not distracting.

7.Do heat pumps need servicing? Yes, it is recommended that you have your heat pump serviced once a year to ensure that it keeps running efficiently.

8.How are heat pumps better than other forms of heating? Apart from being cheaper to run than any other form of heating, heat pumps offer many other benefits that a heating only system cannot. They are designed for year round comfort not just heating for the 4 months of winter.

9.What is an energystar rating? This is your quick guide to energy efficiency. The more stars means the more efficient.

10.What is COP? This stands for coefficient of performance, more simply put, it is the relationship between energy used and heat delivered. For example with a heating COP of 3.8kw you will get 3.8kw of heat for every 1kw of energy used.