Multi room heat pump systems for heating several rooms at once
We install multi room heat pumps in Christchurch, with two or more indoor units on one outdoor unit and a controller in each room. On a frosty morning every room may be on at once, so we size the outdoor unit for that morning, not an average day. Quotes are free.
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How a multi room heat pump works
A multi split has one outdoor unit and several indoor units. People sometimes call them heads. Each indoor unit has its own pair of refrigerant pipes and a control cable back to the outdoor unit. Every room gets its own remote or wall controller. So you can warm the bedrooms at night and leave the lounge off.
The indoor units don’t all have to match. On most systems, a bedroom can have a small high wall unit and the lounge a bigger one. A room with no high wall space can have a floor console.
Multi room heat pumps for Christchurch homes
Plenty of Christchurch houses need heat in more than one room, and the reason changes across the city.
- Villas with rooms off a hall. Older villas and bungalows in Beckenham and Papanui have separate rooms off a central hall, and lose heat through single glazing and the floor. Warm air from the lounge never reaches the bedrooms, so we size an indoor unit for each room you use.
- Townhouses with bedrooms upstairs. In St Albans, Edgeware and Sydenham, newer townhouses have the living area downstairs and the bedrooms split up above it. Small bedroom units can share one outdoor unit with the living area, as long as the pipes can run between floors.
- Two-level homes on the hills. In Westmorland and Mount Pleasant, homes often follow the slope, and warm air climbs the stairwell. We give each level its own indoor unit and its own controller.
- Tight infill and shared driveways. Split sections in Sockburn and Addington leave little room down the sides. One outdoor unit keeps the side path clear and is easier to keep inside the District Plan noise limits at the neighbour’s place.
- Central City apartments. Body corporate rules and a small balcony may leave room for one outdoor unit, not several. We check what your building allows before we settle the layout.
- New builds with a bedroom wing. In Rolleston and Prebbleton, one unit can heat a well insulated open plan living area, but the bedrooms down the hall stay cold. Small bedroom units on the same outdoor unit sort that. These towns come under the Selwyn District Plan, and the outdoor unit still has to stay quiet at the boundary.
- Frosty mornings on the plains. On a frosty morning every room is on at once, and the outdoor unit splits its output between them. We size it for that morning, not an average day.
Get a free quote. Installs, servicing and repairs on all major brands.
When a multi split heat pump makes sense
It makes sense if any of these fit your house.
- Not much outside wall. Townhouses, units and homes close to the boundary often have room for one outdoor unit, not three.
- Noise near a neighbour. One well placed outdoor unit is easier to keep quiet than several. The District Plan noise limits at the boundary are set out under boundary rules.
- Looks. One outdoor unit on the side of the house, not a row of them.
The trade-offs of a multi split
A multi split isn’t always the better choice. Know the downsides before you decide.
- One point of failure. If the outdoor unit stops, every room on it goes cold. With separate systems, a fault takes out one room.
- Shared output. The outdoor unit splits its output between the rooms that are on. Size it sensibly for how you use the house and it copes well. But that’s one reason sizing matters more on a multi split.
- Longer pipe runs. Each indoor unit needs its own pipes back to the outdoor unit. Planning the routes through the roof, under the floor or along the outside wall takes more work.
- Thinking ahead. Adding a room later needs a spare port and spare capacity on the outdoor unit. Decide that up front.
Multi split, separate units or ducted
For two or three rooms, we’ll often price a multi split against separate single systems. Separate units are simpler to service. Each room runs on its own. It’s worth seeing both on paper.
Want every room heated and nothing on the walls? A ducted heat pump is the other way. Ducting needs ceiling or underfloor space. Room by room control comes from a zoning system, not separate indoor units. For more detail, read ducted vs split heat pumps.
How we plan a multi head heat pump install
1
Room by room
We go through each room you want heated and note its size, insulation, glass and how you use it, so each indoor unit is sized for its own room.
2
The right indoor unit for each room
A high wall unit where there's wall space up high, a floor console where there isn't, or a small ducted unit where the model allows it.
3
One spot for the outdoor unit
We look for the shortest sensible pipe runs to every room, free air round the unit, and distance from your neighbour's bedroom windows.
4
Pipe routes
We work out how each pair of pipes reaches the outdoor unit, through the roof, under the floor or along the outside wall, without showing where it can be helped.
5
One clear quote
The quote lists the outdoor unit, each indoor unit and the pipe routes. If a multi split won't suit your house, we say so and quote what will.
Multi split heat pump brands we fit in Christchurch
We install five brands and compare their models for your rooms, then suggest the one that fits, not whatever's in stock.
Service and repair
Other brands
Most other split and ducted heat pumps sold in New Zealand.
Multi room heat pumps across Christchurch and Selwyn
We fit multi room and multi split systems all over Christchurch, in Lyttelton, and in Selwyn towns such as Rolleston, Lincoln and Prebbleton.
Multi room heat pump questions
What is a multi split heat pump?
One outdoor unit hooked up to two or more indoor units in different rooms. Each indoor unit has its own refrigerant pipes back to the outdoor unit. Each has its own controller. So you can heat one room and leave the others off.
Is a multi split better than separate heat pumps?
Not always. A multi split means fewer outdoor units on the house. That helps when wall space is tight, or noise near a boundary is a problem. Separate systems are simpler. And if one fails, the other rooms keep their heat. When it's close, we'll price both.
Can the indoor units on a multi split be different types?
Usually, yes. That's down to the model. You can mix high wall units, floor consoles and small ducted units on one outdoor unit. We pick each to suit its room.
Can I add another room to a multi split later?
Only if the outdoor unit has a spare connection and enough capacity. That has to be planned when you first choose the system. If you think you'll add a room, tell us when we quote.
Do I need body corporate approval for a multi split in my apartment or townhouse?
Yes, if the work affects common property or another unit. An outdoor unit on an outside wall, or a hole through one, often counts, and you need written consent first. We can describe the install in writing for your committee. More on heat pumps in Central City apartments.
Get a free heat pump quote
Free quotes, no obligation. We call or email you back the same working day. Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.
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