Heat Pumps Help to Reduce Power Bills

Heat Pumps Help to Reduce Power Bills

53% of Kiwis who have installed a heat pump have noticed health improvements

Auckland 25 September, 2014 – A recent survey by Canstar Blue examining consumer satisfaction with heat pumps has shown that the use of a heat pump is helping kiwis to reduce their power bills.

Nearly 90% of kiwis who have purchased a heat pump in the last two years have chosen an energy efficient option, with those from the Bay of Plenty leading the efficiency charge (93%), and have been revelling in the results; half of those surveyed expressed that having a heat pump has reduced their power bill.

Kiwis are seeing a change in the way they heat their homes, with more than ninety per cent (93%) of Aucklanders surveyed stating their heat pumps are making their homes drier and overall, easier to heat, says Canstar New Zealand, General Manager, Derek Bonnar.

“New Zealanders are really reaping the benefits of easy heating. Many are even seeing improvements in their health (53%), even if their homes were insulated prior to the heat pumps installation.”

Many kiwi homes who have enlisted the help of a heat pump were previously insulated (82%) but have still needed a helping hand to warm up in harsher winter months.
However, many are still weighed down by the price of heating. Of all those surveyed, Aucklanders (69%) are the most likely to switch off their heat pump to save some cash, compared to 42% of Cantabrians.

“More than a third of kiwi heat pump owners are feeling the economic pinch, having to resort to reducing their spending on other items so they can afford to pay their power bills,” says Bonnar.

Nearly half (46%) of Aucklanders made use of a government subsidy to purchase their heat pump, more than any of the other regions surveyed. 35-39 year olds are the most likely to make use of extra funding.

Heating is valued by both sexes, with 79% of men and women surveyed saying that a heat pump is now a ‘must-have’ in any home they live in.

More than two thirds of Aucklanders use their heat pump for the opposite effect in summer, switching it on as a cooling system, while those in Wellington are the least likely to use it as an air conditioner (47%)

Mitsubishi Electric has taken out the top spot for overall satisfaction, and achieved near perfect ratings across all nine categories.

“Adding to their 2012 and 2013 results, Mitsubishi Electric is once again, the only brand to receive a five star rating for quietness. Their high ratings show that Mitsubishi Electric delivers value, reliability and after-sale service, and their customers are rewarding them for it,” says Derek Bonnar.

Customers were asked to rate heat pump brands across nine categories:
Value for money
After sale service (per manufacturer recommendation)
Reliability
Ease of use (of the controls and buttons)
Ease of installation
Functionality (ability to choose and adjust functions)
Quietness while operating
Energy efficiency
Overall satisfaction with the domestic heat pump

Heat Pumps by region

Auckland: Aucklanders are the most likely to have seen an improvement in their health since installing a heat pump (71%), most likely (equal with Otago) to say that their heat pump has made their home drier and easier to heat (93%), most likely to have reduced power bills since the purchase of their heat pump (67%), most likely to believe that a heat pump is now a must have in any home that they live in (87%), most likely to make use of a government subsidy to buy their heat pump (46%), most likely to use their heat pump for cooling in summer (68%), most likely to turn off their heat pump to save money (69%), most likely to have had to reduce their spending on other items so that they can pay their power bill (58%) and most likely to have a home that was previously insulated prior to the installation of the heat pump (85%)

Waikato: People from the Waikato are the least likely to have seen a reduction in their power bill since having a heat pump (28%) and least likely to believe that a heat pump is now a must have in any house that they live in (72%)

Wellington: Wellingtonians are the least likely to use their heat pump for cooling in the summer (47%) and least likely to have had to reduce their spending on other items so that they can pay their power bills (22%)

Canterbury: Cantabrians are the least likely to have made use of a government subsidy to buy their heat pump (18%) and least likely to have turned off their heat pumps to save money (42%)

Otago: People from Otago are the least likely to have purchased an energy efficient heat pump (84%) and the most likely (equal with Auckland) to say that having a heat pump has made their home drier and easier to heat (93%)

Bay of Plenty: People from the Bay of Plenty are the most likely to have purchased an energy efficient heat pump (93%), least likely to have seen an improvement in their health since installing a heat pump (37%), least likely to say that their heat pump has made their home drier and easier to heat (82%) and least likely to have previously had insulation in their home prior to the heat pump being installed (79%)

About the survey
We partner with respected professional market research agency Colmar Brunton Australia, who undertake research on our behalf using Your Source.
The outcomes reported here are from the 856 people who have purchased and used a domestic heat pump in the last 2 years. The survey has a margin of error of 3.7%
Age Groups:
18-24 years
25-29 years
30-34 years
35-39 years
40-44 years
45-49 years
50-54 years
55-59 years
60-64 years
65-69 years
70 years or more

*To view the full results of the Canstar Blue survey go to: www.canstarblue.co.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media