Floor Console Heat Pumps in Palmerston North
A floor console sits low against the wall and pushes warmth out at foot level, so a cold room comes up to temperature quickly. Handy in older Palmy homes where high wall space is tight.
A floor console heat pump is an indoor unit that mounts low on the wall, near the floor, instead of up high. It blows warm air out at foot level so cold rooms heat fast. In older Palmerston North homes with little high wall space, it often fits where a standard high-wall unit won't.
Why floor-level warmth works on cold Palmy mornings
Palmerston North winters bring cold still mornings and damp that sits in a room. Warm air rises, so a unit down at the floor gets heat moving from the bottom up, and your feet feel it first. That's the difference people notice when they get out of bed and the lounge is already warming.
A high-wall unit dumps warm air near the ceiling and takes longer to fill the room. A floor console starts lower, so a cold villa lounge comes up to temperature quicker on a frosty morning in Roslyn or West End.
Fitting a floor console in a villa or bungalow
Pre-1980s villas and bungalows in Terrace End, West End and Hokowhitu often have tall windows, picture rails and skirting that eat up the wall. There's simply nowhere clean to hang a high-wall head. A floor console tucks in below a window or against a low wall, which is why they suit these homes.
The unit does take up floor space, so you need to keep furniture clear of the front. Don't box it in behind a couch. We'll look at where your windows and power sit and mark up the spot before we quote. If you're weighing up other options, our rundown of the types of heat pump covers where each one earns its keep.
When another unit makes more sense
A floor console is great for one room, but it isn't always the answer. If you want to heat several rooms off one outdoor unit, multi split heat pumps run a few indoor heads at once. Where you've got a ceiling void and want the unit out of sight, ceiling cassette heat pumps sit flush in the ceiling.
For brands, we mostly fit Mitsubishi Electric heat pumps, which have solid floor console models built for cold-climate work. We'll tell you straight if a floor console is the right call for your room or if something else fits better.
What the install and running side looks like
Floor consoles are fairly quick to fit because the pipework runs low and short to the outdoor unit. There's core drilling through weatherboard, a bracket, and tidy pipe covers outside. Our page on heat pump installation walks through how a job runs from quote to switch-on.
Price depends on the model, the room size and how far the outdoor unit sits from the head. For a ballpark before we visit, see our notes on heat pump installation cost. If you're on a benefit or a low income, the Warmer Kiwi Homes grant may cover a big chunk, and you apply through EECA rather than us.
Not sure a floor console suits your room?
Send us a photo of the wall and window and we'll tell you if a floor console fits or if another unit does the job better. Call 06 242 4317.
Floor console heat pump questions
What is a floor console heat pump?
It's an indoor heat pump unit that mounts low on the wall, close to the floor, rather than up high. It blows warm air out at foot level, so heat rises through the room and warms it quickly. Some models pull air in from the bottom too, which helps in a cold room.
Are floor console heat pumps better for older homes?
Often, yes. Older villas and bungalows here have tall windows and busy walls with little clean space for a high-wall head, and a floor console tucks in under a window instead. The low-down warmth also suits single-glazed rooms that feel cold at floor level on a frosty morning. It does take up floor space, so you need to keep the front clear.
How much does a floor console heat pump cost?
It depends on the model and your room, but a supplied and installed floor console usually sits a bit higher than a basic high-wall unit for the same room size. The install itself is straightforward. We'll give you a fixed price after we've seen where the unit and pipework will go, so there are no surprises.
Get a floor console quote for your home
We fit floor consoles across Palmerston North, Feilding and Levin. Tell us the room and we'll come back with a straight price and honest advice. Ring 06 242 4317 or send the form.