Floor Console Heat Pumps in New Plymouth
A low-mounted unit that pushes warm air out at floor level, so cold damp mornings clear faster in older homes. Tell us your suburb and we'll sort a quote.
A floor console heat pump sits low on the wall, near the floor, like an old gas heater. It blows warm air out at ground level where the cold sits, so it clears the chill in slow-heating older homes faster than a unit mounted up high.
Why floor-level warmth suits cold Taranaki mornings
Cold air sinks. In a single-glazed weatherboard bungalow the coldest, dampest layer sits right down on the floor, and that's the bit you feel first thing on a Taranaki morning.
A floor console pushes warm air out at that level and lets it rise through the room. You feel it on your feet and legs quickly, which is exactly what you want in a home that's slow to warm up. A high wall unit blows warmth across the ceiling first, so it can take longer to reach you down low.
Fitting one into an older New Plymouth home
The older streets around Vogeltown, Welbourn and Strandon are full of villas and bungalows with tall windows, picture rails and not much clear wall up high. A floor console gets around that because it mounts low, under a windowsill or in the space where an old heater used to be.
They're a tidy fit for an old fireplace recess too. The unit tucks into the alcove and the pipework runs out through the hearth wall, so you keep the look of the room. If you've got several rooms to heat off one outdoor unit, ask us about multi split heat pumps, and if you're weighing up the whole range have a look at the different types of heat pump before you decide.
Floor console or something mounted up high?
A floor console isn't always the answer. If your wall space is fine and you want the unit out of the way, a high wall unit does the same job for less. Where floors are the problem and headroom is tight, a floor console earns its keep.
In homes with a decent ceiling void, some people go for ceiling cassette heat pumps that sit flush overhead. For floor consoles we mostly fit Mitsubishi Electric heat pumps, which have a floor model that runs quietly and holds temperature well on a frosty morning.
- Mounts low, so it works where there's no clear wall up high
- Warm air at floor level clears the chill faster
- Fits neatly into an old fireplace recess or under a window
- Can run in a heat-from-the-bottom mode for cold mornings
What's involved in getting one fitted
We come out, look at the room, check where the outdoor unit can go and work out the shortest, tidiest pipe run. In an older home with weatherboard and no cavity that planning matters, because we want to keep the drilling and trunking to a minimum.
Have a read of how we approach heat pump installation so you know what the day looks like, and the heat pump installation cost page walks through what drives the price up or down.
Not sure a floor console is the right one?
Give us a call on 06 242 5842. We'll talk through your room and tell you straight whether a floor unit or a high wall one makes more sense.
Floor console heat pumps: common questions
What is a floor console heat pump?
It's a heat pump that mounts low on the wall, close to the floor, rather than up near the ceiling. It looks a bit like an old gas heater and blows warm air out at floor level. That suits older homes where the cold air pools down low and you want to feel the warmth quickly.
Are floor console heat pumps better for older homes?
Often, yes. Villas and bungalows around the older New Plymouth suburbs tend to have tall windows and little clear wall space up high, and they're slow to warm through. A floor console fits low and heats from the bottom, which handles both problems. It's not a fixed rule though, so we'll check your room first.
Can a floor console heat pump replace a fireplace?
It can. A floor console tucks neatly into an old fireplace recess, and the pipework runs out through the hearth wall. It gives you steady, cheap-to-run warmth without the mess or the chimney. Just bear in mind we don't do the fireplace removal itself, only the heat pump.
How much does a floor console heat pump cost?
It depends on the unit size, where the outdoor unit goes and how tricky the pipe run is through an older weatherboard home. Floor consoles usually sit in a similar range to a good high wall unit. The best way to know is a quote, and our cost page explains what moves the price.
Warm up your older New Plymouth home from the floor
From Fitzroy through to Inglewood, tell us the room and your suburb and we'll come measure up for a floor console. Call 06 242 5842 or send through the form.