Stop wasting money on your power bill. A modern heat pump is incredibly efficient, but only if you use it correctly. These are the exact tips Craig gives every customer after finishing an installation. Small changes in your settings can drop your monthly bill by 20% or more.
A heat pump does not create heat. It moves it. For every 1 unit of electricity you pay for, a well-run Toshiba or Mitsubishi unit gives you 3 to 5 units of heat back. But only if you use it right.
A heat pump is only as efficient as the way you use it. These are the tips Craig gives every customer at handover on the North Shore. Small changes in how you run it make a real difference to your power bill. If your unit is struggling to keep up, the problem may be the unit size, not the settings.
Do not crank it to 28°C to "heat the room faster." It does not work like a car heater. A heat pump runs at full speed until it hits the target, then slows down.
Turning a unit on from a dead cold start at 6am is the most expensive way to run it.
Your high-wall unit was sized for your lounge, not your whole house. If you leave the hallway door open, the unit will struggle to heat that extra space and will never reach its economy mode.
On the North Shore, the air is salty. Pull your filters out every 8 weeks, rinse them in the sink and let them dry.
Do not lock the fan on High. Put it on Auto. The unit will blast air until the room is warm, then whisper-quietly maintain it.
Auckland summers are humid. Often you do not need the room colder, you just need the moisture gone.
Check your outdoor unit after a storm. If leaves, spiderwebs or overgrown bushes are blocking the sides, it cannot breathe.
To keep your 10-year Toshiba warranty or 6-year Fujitsu warranty valid, you need a professional service once a year. Craig checks refrigerant levels and deep-cleans the coils.
The three most common mistakes Craig sees on the North Shore, and the truth behind them.
Crank it to 30°C to heat faster.
A heat pump runs at full output regardless of the target. 30°C does not heat faster. It just runs longer. Set 20°C.
Leave it on all day to save money.
Out for 2+ hours? Turn it off. Use the timer to preheat before you get home.
Cold air means it is broken.
It is in Defrost Mode, melting ice off the outdoor coils. Normal. Back to warm air in 5 minutes.
Only service it when something breaks.
By the time it breaks, it has been inefficient for months. $100-150/year pays for itself. Keeps warranties valid too.
You do not need a technician for these. They take minutes and make a real difference.
Pull them out, rinse under warm water, let dry fully before reinserting. Never run the unit with wet filters.
Clear leaves, spiderwebs and debris from the sides and top. Keep at least 30cm clear on all sides.
Dust and salt residue builds up on the casing. A damp cloth monthly keeps it clean and stops it working into the unit.
A blocked drain pipe causes water to drip inside. Look for water marks on the wall below the indoor unit.
The internal coil, refrigerant level and electrical components need a technician. If Craig installed it, he services it. Running solar? See how to pair your heat pump with solar panels to cut running costs further.
Is it cheaper to leave the heat pump on all day or turn it on and off?
Turn it off when the house is empty for more than 2 hours. Leaving it running all day in an empty house costs more than using the timer. The exception is very cold days when it takes a long time to bring the house up to temperature. In that case leaving it on a low setting can be more efficient than a cold start.
What temperature should I set my heat pump to in winter?
18-21°C for most rooms. 18°C is comfortable for living areas when you are active. 20-21°C for bedrooms. Every degree above 21°C adds roughly 5-10% to your heating cost and does not make the room warm any faster.
How often should I clean my heat pump filters?
Every 6-8 weeks during heavy use, or at least every 3 months during lighter use. On the North Shore, salt air and coastal dust mean filters clog faster than inland areas. A blocked filter is the single most common cause of reduced efficiency we see on service calls.
Does a heat pump work less efficiently in very cold weather?
Yes, efficiency drops as outdoor temperatures fall. Most modern units have a rated operating range down to -15°C, but performance is best above 7°C. On the North Shore, temperatures rarely drop below 5°C overnight, so this is rarely an issue. Brands like Mitsubishi Electric with HyperCore technology maintain better output in the cold.
Why is my heat pump blowing cold air?
It is most likely in defrost mode. When ice builds up on the outdoor unit in cold, humid weather, the unit runs a short defrost cycle (usually 2-5 minutes) where it temporarily reverses the cycle. This is normal. If it is blowing cold air for more than 10 minutes, or the outdoor unit is not running at all, call Craig.