The Importance of a Quality Heat Pump in Winter

Winter in New Zealand has a reputation: damp, draughty, and reliably uncomfortable. You know the drill. The sun sets before dinner, the washing never dries, and your living room doubles as a walk-in fridge unless you plan ahead.

Plenty of people still battle through with plug-in heaters, gas units, or old fireplaces, but ask anyone who’s actually made the switch to a heat pump and they’ll tell you: it’s not even close. The difference isn’t subtle, it’s immediate, efficient and, frankly, overdue.

At Fonko, we’ve seen too many households toughing it out when they don’t need to. A well-chosen, correctly installed heat pump doesn’t just take the edge off winter. It gives it a hard shove out the door.  

Why New Zealand Homes Aren’t Built for Cold (and Why That Matters)

New Zealand’s housing stock has a bit of a reputation, and not a flattering one. Until fairly recently, building regulations didn’t require insulation. Single-glazed windows were the standard, walls often had zero insulation, and draughty floorboards were common. Even newer homes can suffer from poor passive design: oversized windows on the wrong side of the house, minimal thermal mass, and a reliance on plug-in heating to do all the heavy lifting.

When winter hits, these houses don’t hold heat, they lose it. Quickly. Which means any heat you generate has to work twice as hard to maintain a liveable temperature. Not only is this uncomfortable, but it’s expensive. You’re essentially pouring money into heating a space that can’t retain warmth.

A heat pump changes the equation by offering efficient, controllable heating that adapts to your environment. And when paired with basic insulation improvements, it becomes the cornerstone of a far more liveable, energy-smart home.   

What Actually Makes a Heat Pump “Good” for Winter? 

Heat pumps might all look vaguely the same on the surface, but the performance difference between a quality system and a poor one is night and day. A good heat pump for winter should deliver three things: consistent warmth, low running costs, and reliability over time. Let’s break that down.

1. Heating capacity: This is about matching the pump to your room size and insulation level. A unit that’s too small will struggle and cycle constantly, chewing through electricity. Too big, and you’ll overheat the space and waste energy. A professional installer (hi, that’s us) will calculate the correct capacity in kilowatts based on your home’s specifics.
2. Inverter technology: This feature allows the unit to adjust its output based on the room’s needs. Instead of turning on and off like older systems, it ramps up to heat the space quickly, then eases back to maintain temperature efficiently. This is key to reducing wear and tear and your power bill.
3. Energy efficiency rating: Check the star ratings, but also look at the Coefficient of Performance (COP). This tells you how much heat you get out for each unit of power used. The higher the COP, the more efficient the unit.
4. Cold-weather performance: Not all heat pumps perform equally well in low temperatures. If you live in a colder part of the country (such as Otago or Southland), you need a model with good performance down to at least -10°C.
5. Brand and aftercare: Stick to manufacturers with proven reliability and robust warranties. Fonko works with brands like Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin, and Panasonic, not just because they’re big names, but because they actually last in New Zealand conditions. Local support and service availability matter when something needs fixing five years down the track.

 

How to Maximise Your Heat Pump’s Performance in Winter

Got a heat pump? You’re halfway there. Now it’s time to make sure it’s not just humming away in the background, but actually pulling its weight.

• Set it and forget it (within reason): Contrary to what some people swear by, turning your heat pump on and off throughout the day isn’t the best way to save money. It forces the system to work harder to reach the desired temperature from scratch, each time. Instead, set it to a comfortable temperature (usually between 20–22°C) and let it maintain the warmth steadily.
• Use timers and Wi-Fi controls: Modern heat pumps can be programmed to warm your space before you wake up or return home. That means less temptation to crank it up to 28°C in frustration, which helps both your comfort and your power bill.
• Close doors and windows: This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how often people run a heat pump with windows slightly open or internal doors wide. Keep the warmth where you want it by closing off unused rooms and reducing draughts.
• Clean the filters regularly: A clogged filter doesn’t just reduce airflow, it makes the entire unit less efficient and puts strain on the system. Clean filters every few weeks during peak use. It takes five minutes and pays off in both performance and longevity.
• Pair it with basic insulation: Even the most efficient unit can’t heat the outdoors. If your home isn’t insulated or you’ve got gaping gaps around doors, you’re essentially trying to heat a sieve. Heat pumps work best in homes that can actually retain warmth, so sealing gaps and topping up ceiling insulation is a wise move.
  
  

Ready for a Warmer, Smarter Winter?

Whether you’re weighing up which heat pump to install before winter truly kicks in, or you’ve already got one and just want to make sure it’s running at its best, we’re here to help. 

From selecting the right model to making sure your system is optimised for efficiency and comfort, our team’s got the experience (and the tools) to get it sorted properly. So if you’re ready to stop layering up indoors or want advice you can actually trust, give us a call.