Ducted Heat Pumps in Auckland
One quiet system, warm dry air in every room. Ducted suits larger open-plan homes and new builds around Auckland where the roof space is there to use.
A ducted heat pump hides one unit in your roof and pushes warm or cool air through vents into every room. It keeps Auckland's damp winter air dry and evenly warm across the whole house, with no boxes on the wall. It costs more than a single high-wall, but heats everything at once.
Why ducted works for Auckland homes
Auckland winters aren't harsh, but they are damp. That cold, moist air settles in bedrooms and hallways that a single lounge unit never reaches. A ducted system moves gentle, dry air into every room off one indoor unit tucked in the roof, so the whole house sits at an even temperature instead of one warm room and four cold ones.
It suits the bigger homes we see going up in the growth suburbs. Larger open-plan new builds and multi-bedroom houses in Hobsonville, Flat Bush and Albany have the roof space and the layout that ducted is made for. On a two-storey home you can run vents upstairs and down without a single wall unit on show. If you want the full rundown of other options, have a look at the types of heat pump before you decide.
What your house needs for ducted
Ducted isn't right for every home, so we're straight about it. You need decent roof or ceiling space for the indoor unit and the run of ducts, plus a spot outside for the condenser. Older cottages with low pitched roofs or no ceiling cavity often can't take it, and that's where a wall-mounted setup makes more sense.
The main things we check when we measure up:
- Roof space and height for the indoor unit and ductwork
- Where the vents land in each room and the return air grille
- Room sizes and sun, so we size the system properly
- An outdoor spot for the condenser that keeps it quiet
- Whether zoning will help you run only the rooms you're using
Zoning so you're not heating empty rooms
The worry people have with whole home heating is running cost. Zoning fixes most of that. We split the house into areas so you can heat the bedrooms overnight and leave them off during the day, or warm the living zone without touching the sleepout.
Getting the sizing right matters more with ducted than anything else, because one unit carries the whole load. Too small and it struggles on a cold Pukekohe morning; too big and it short-cycles and wastes power. You can get a rough idea with our heat pump sizing calculator, then we confirm it on site. For a look at how the ducted work happens start to finish, see our heat pump installation Auckland page.
Ducted, multi-split or a single unit
Ducted isn't the only way to heat a whole home. If your house can't easily take ducting, or you want to stage the spend, multi split heat pumps run several indoor units off one outdoor unit and give you room-by-room control. It's often the answer for renovations and awkward layouts.
Ducted also cools in summer, so it doubles as air conditioning through the same vents. We fit a few brands and can talk you through the trade-offs; Daikin heat pumps are a common pick for ducted here because the ducted range is well proven. What it all comes to depends on the house, and we set out the numbers on our heat pump installation cost page.
Servicing your ducted system
One thing to know up front: we only service and repair the heat pumps we installed ourselves. We don't take on other companies' installs. If we fit your ducted system, we'll keep it running; if you're after a fresh install or a quote, that's exactly what we're here for.
If you're not sure which path suits your home, give us a call and we'll point you the right way.
Thinking about ducted for your place?
Send us your rooms and roof setup and we'll come measure up. Call 09 234 2345.
Ducted heat pump questions
How much does a ducted heat pump cost in New Zealand?
For a whole home you're generally looking at a good deal more than a single high-wall unit, because it's one bigger system plus all the ductwork and vents. The final figure depends on how many rooms, how much zoning, and how easy the roof access is. We give you a fixed price after we've measured up, not a guess over the phone.
Is ducted heating better than a high-wall heat pump?
It depends on the house. A single high-wall is cheaper and heats one main space well. Ducted costs more but warms every room evenly and hides away in the roof, which is why it suits larger open-plan and multi-bedroom homes. If you only use one living area, a high-wall or two might be the smarter spend.
Can you install ducted heating in an existing house?
Yes, if the house has the roof or ceiling space and access to run the ducts. It's more work than a new build where ducting goes in before the linings, so it can cost more and take longer. We'll have a look at your roof cavity and layout and tell you honestly whether it'll work.
How does a ducted heat pump work?
One indoor unit sits in the roof and connects to an outdoor condenser. It draws air in, heats or cools it, then pushes it through insulated ducts to vents in each room. A return air grille pulls the air back to be conditioned again, so the whole house stays at an even temperature.
Get a ducted heat pump quote
Whether you're building in Flat Bush or retrofitting a Half Moon Bay home, tell us about your rooms and we'll sort the right system. Call 09 234 2345 or send us the details.