Heat Pump Hot Water Cylinders Wellington
Heat Pump Hot Water Cylinder Installation in Wellington
Heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) are better than any standard electric cylinder. They pull heat out of the air — even Wellington’s cold air — and use about 1 kW of electricity to deliver 3 kW of heat into your water. That’s roughly a third of the running cost of a standard cylinder.
Southern has been installing and servicing heat pump water heaters across Wellington, the Hutt Valley, Kapiti Coast and Porirua since the technology first hit the market. 40+ years in business, ~29,000 jobs, Master Plumbers for 25+ years.
Call 0800 484 353 — ask about our $200 off heat pump install deal.
Why Switch to a Heat Pump Water Heater?
Water heating is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the average Kiwi home. A traditional electric cylinder generates three times more greenhouse gas than a heat pump water heater. These heaters are in two types. Combined and split. The split models are not so popular and are a lot more expensive, but are a lot more powerful for heating larger amounts of hot water. They tend to be more efficient too. The combined all in one units are the most popular with Rheem and Carrier being the more efficient models for now, but this is a moving market. There are new models coming on the market regularly.
- Up to 79% energy reduction vs standard electric (manufacturer figure)
- Cut the gas line charge — saves ~$8,000 over 10 years if you go all-electric
- Night-rate compatible — timer operation for ultra-low off-peak heating
- Works where solar can’t — south-facing, shaded, or low-roof-space properties
- Low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants and zero ozone depletion
- Free up cupboard space — outdoor install frees the old cylinder cupboard
- No risk of leaking inside the house when installed externally
Suitable for low-flow homes, retrofits, and new builds.
One drawback is they make noise like a fridge but often a bit louder. They are not small like a gas continuous flow water heater. So they can be difficult to position on a small property.
Things to Consider Before You Install
Issues to consider with a hot water cylinder heat pump installation
A heat pump hot water cylinder isn’t a drop-in replacement for your old cylinder — the location matters. Here’s what we check during the quote:
- Tank size — 250–260L covers most families; 300L for larger households or long-shower users
- Noise — heat pumps hum; keep them away from bedroom windows if they’ll run overnight
- Location — near the kitchen sink reduces hot-water wait time and pipe heat loss
- Coefficient of Performance (COP) — higher is better; we pick models tuned for Wellington’s temperature range
- Coastal corrosion — marine-grade construction matters if you’re near the sea
- Cable run — dedicated circuit back to the switchboard
- Reheating time — larger tanks take longer to recover between uses
- Timer operation — lets you lean on night-rate electricity
- Has the manufacturer been around a while? – there are a lot of companies bringing tanks on to the market, and we don’t want a call back. And we don’t want you running out of hot water.
- What is the installation going to look like outside? – because the tank is out side its visible it needs to be installed in a tidy manner.
See external hot water cylinders for outdoor install detail.
Heat Pump vs Solar Hot Water
Solar hot water is the strongest competitor to heat pump — and which one wins depends entirely on your roof.
Heat pump wins when:
- Roof is south-facing, shaded, or already full of PV solar
- You want consistent hot water day and night
- You need faster install and lower upfront cost
- You’re coming off gas and want to cut the supply charge
Solar wins when:
- You have north-facing roof real estate free
- You’re happy with 20+ year payback horizons
- You want the absolute lowest running cost when the sun is shining
We’ll tell you honestly which one actually suits your house during the site visit — not which one we’d rather sell.
Apricus All-in-One R290 — Top-Tier
The Apricus All-in-One R290 is our top-tier recommendation for families wanting the best combination of efficiency, controls and reliability.
- Dual heating technology — heat pump primary, electric element backup
- Hot water up to 70°C — enough capacity for back-to-back showers
- Smart touchscreen controller with mode presets
- Hot Water Hub app — monitor and control from your phone
- R290 refrigerant — low GWP, environmentally responsible
- Solid unit with good COP
Rinnai Enviroflo™ — Entry-Level Done Right
The Rinnai Enviroflo™ is our most popular entry-level heat pump water heater — the Rinnai support network and warranty coverage make it the easy choice for most homes.
- Up to 70% savings on hot water running costs vs electric
- Reliable electric element backup for peak demand or cold mornings
- Built-in frost protection — critical for Wellington winters
- User-friendly control interface
- Auto disinfection function — kills Legionella automatically
- Quiet operation — suitable for residential sites
- Minimal-charge R290 refrigerant — low GWP
- Sized for 2–5 person households
- Hard and soft water compatible
Warranty: 5 years on the cylinder, 3 years on refrigeration components, 1 year on other parts.
Designed for outdoor installation (indoor possible in non-occupied spaces).
Haier Monoblock — Smart and Efficient
The Haier Monoblock is a full all-in-one replacement for a traditional electric cylinder — no split components, no external refrigerant lines.
- Captures heat from ambient air down to -7°C — still works on Wellington winter mornings
- Up to 79% energy reduction vs standard electric systems (manufacturer figure)
- Built-in Wi-Fi and SmartHQ™ app integration
- Remote control capability — schedule heating, monitor usage
- R290 refrigerant — extremely low GWP
- Solar compatibility — works well with existing PV panel systems
Ideal for households looking to go fully electric with smart-home integration.
Case Study: Gas to Heat Pump
Scenario: 1982-built Wellington home, 40+ year-old gas storage tank, cylinder inside a cupboard.
Current running cost: 17c/kWh gas × 70% efficiency = ~24c per useful kWh of hot water.
Three options compared:
- New electric cylinder: 28c/kWh running, ~$5,000 installed
- New efficient gas heater (external): 18.5c/kWh running, ~$4,500 installed
- Heat pump water heater: ~7c/kWh running, ~$11,000 installed including the electrical cable
10-year payback maths:
- Heat pump saves approximately $16,000–$17,000 over 10 years at today’s energy costs — pays for the whole installation and delivers a return
- Efficient gas option saves ~$8,000 over 10 years
The outdoor install also frees up the cupboard and eliminates interior leak risk. Pipe runs are insulated to minimise heat loss.
Numbers are indicative — your actual savings depend on usage, tariff, and location.
Brands We Install
We’re brand-agnostic — whichever unit fits your home best is the one we quote:
- Apricus — Eco Energy, solid unit, good COP
- Rinnai Enviroflo — name-brand support, 3 sizes (small/medium/large) rinnai.co.nz
- Rheem — high COP. rheem.co.nz
- Parex (EcoSpring) — budget-friendly, 190L and 300L models parex.co.nz
- Haier Monoblock — smart controls and Wi-Fi
- Mitsubishi (split systems) — powerful
Why Southern Plumbing and Gasfitting Ltd:
- Master Plumbers Guarantee — deposit and workmanship covered
- Plumber + electrician on staff — no subbie handoffs for the electrical run
- Fixed-price quotes before work starts
- $200 off heat pump installation — current offer
- Your Job On Time, or It’s Free
- We have gasfitters to remove gas appliances when converting.
- Experience – we have done dozens of installs like this.
Check back here often as we will update you on new heat pump hot water cylinder models coming out.
So far the highest COP for a combined system that we will install is 5.2, but new models are coming out every month. This is a fast moving market due to the new demand for heat pump water heating.
Call 0800 484 353 or request a free quote.
