Floor console heat pumps for Dunedin homes
A floor console sits low on the wall and blows warm air out at floor level, so cold rooms lift fast on a damp Dunedin morning. It's a tidy option when there's no room up high for a standard unit.
A floor console heat pump sits low on the wall, near the skirting, and pushes warm air out at floor level rather than from up high. It heats cold rooms quickly and suits older Dunedin villas with tall ceilings or little spare wall space for a standard high-wall unit.
Why floor consoles suit Dunedin villas and bungalows
A lot of the older places around Roslyn, Mornington and Caversham have high ceilings, timber joinery and big windows. That leaves you fighting for a decent stretch of wall to mount a standard head, and a high-wall unit up near a three-metre ceiling ends up warming the air above your head first.
A floor console fixes both. It sits down low, near the skirting, so the warm air starts where you actually are. On a cold, damp winter morning that's the difference between a room that feels warm in a few minutes and one that takes half an hour. If you're weighing up the different types of heat pump for an old single-glazed home, the console is often the one that just fits the room.
Fitting one where wall space is awkward
In the inner-city and hill homes we see a lot of, there's often nowhere sensible to put a high-wall head. Windows, picture rails, sloped ceilings and heritage joinery all get in the way. A floor console needs only a short run of low wall, usually under a window, so it slots in where nothing else will.
It still needs an outdoor unit and a pipe run to the outside, same as any split system. If you're heating more than one room and want to keep the outdoor units down, ask us about multi split heat pumps, or if you've got a hallway or open-plan space with a flat ceiling, a ceiling cassette heat pump can be worth a look too.
What to look for in a floor console
The good models give you a bit of control over how they throw the air, which matters when you're trying to warm a big villa lounge.
- Dual airflow, so it can push heat along the floor and up the room at once
- A quiet low-fan setting for evenings and bedrooms
- Good performance at low outdoor temperatures for our frosty mornings
- A capacity matched to the room, not just the biggest box on the shelf
Getting it installed and what it costs
We'll come and look at the room, check where the pipe run and outdoor unit can go, and give you a price with no surprises. You can read how we handle heat pump installation in Dunedin and what a typical installation cost looks like before you commit to anything.
For brands, we fit and stand behind Mitsubishi Electric heat pumps, which have a solid floor console range that copes well with our climate. If you're not sure a console is the right pick, tell us the room and we'll be honest about whether a different unit would do a better job.
Not sure a floor console is right for your room?
Give us a call on 03 234 2345 or send through your details. We'll tell you straight what suits the space.
Floor console heat pumps: common questions
What is a floor console heat pump?
It's a heat pump head that mounts low on the wall, near the floor, instead of up high. It blows warm air out at floor level, which is where you feel it most. Underneath it works the same as any split system, with an indoor unit connected to an outdoor unit outside.
Are floor console heat pumps good for old houses?
Yes, they're one of the better options for older Dunedin homes. Single-glazed villas and bungalows lose heat, and a console starts warming from the floor up rather than heating the air near a tall ceiling first. It also fits where high ceilings and limited wall space rule out a standard head.
Where do you install a floor console heat pump?
Usually low on an external wall, often under a window, in the room you use most like a lounge or main living area. It needs a short run of low wall and a clear path to the outside for the pipework. We'll check the layout on site and work out the tidiest spot.
Is a floor console warmer than a high-wall heat pump?
In a room with high ceilings, often yes, because it delivers heat at floor level instead of from up high where warm air naturally sits. You feel it sooner at ground level. In a standard low-ceiling room the difference is smaller, and a well-placed high-wall unit can do the job just fine.
Warm up your Dunedin home
From St Kilda to Port Chalmers, we'll come and quote a floor console that fits your room and your budget. Send us your details or ring 03 234 2345.