Heat pumps in hallways- how useful are they?
Filed under Choosing a heating appliance, Space Heating.
April 23rd, 2009
Im getting quite a few questions about installing heatpumps in hallways. People appear to be doing this because theyve realised the heat pump in their living room aint going to heat their whole house, so they want to install a second one at the other end of the house, usually in a hallway. They want to take the chill off the whole house, and warm up their bedrooms.
But this is one of my puzzles most (but not all) human beings (or maybe its just Kiwis my generation?) like to close their bedroom doors for a number of reasons
· a bit of privacy, peace/quiet especially for teenagers and parents who both probably need it for different reasons!
· a parent trying to get a child to sleep? Although I also know that little kids also like to have their door open as well (I am not a parent)
Sooo… if bedroom doors are kept closed for whatever reason, all that expensive warm air may be making not a lot of difference, (except in the hallway!) and people may be turning on yet another ordinary plug in heater in their own bedrooms because they want to stay warm.
Is it really worth installing a heat pump into a hallway then?
Id love to hear your thoughts on this if you have any.
Katie, energy advisor, Canterbury HEAC
5 Comments
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neville grimshaw, May 3rd, 2009 on 11:53 pm
Good question Katie,
We get asked this a lot too. Heat pumps are designed to heat one open area EG lounge/kitchen/dinning. In a hall situation they are not ideal because to arrive at the correct killowatts is just about an imposibility because heat dosn’t disperse efficiently though doorways and passage ways.The area to be heated varies as well, if doors are shut. Also some manufacturers will not guarantee the unit if installed in a hall way with the wall opposite facing the unit. The best the home owner can hope for in these situations is to take the chill off the hallway and adjoining rooms, ( providing they leave the doors open ) and floor consoles do the job better than high wall units in this situation. Also the killowatts required cannot be accurately determined as they can in an open area.
If you calculate the kilowatts required for an open space IE height x width x lenght x 45 say if single glazed and then divide by 1000. This can’t be done accuratly for and area blocked off largely by walls etc so they are better to say put a 3, 3.5, killowatt unit in the hall as said to take the chill off.
Neville G
Project MGR AirlanaEfficiency Dude, July 20th, 2009 on 10:27 pm
Look at a heat transfer solution if you have a large heat source in the home.
A heat transfer with outputs into bedrooms will transfer heat from the hot room into the closed door rooms taking fresh air from the outside.
This will work when you have a larger heat source for the living area so when heat is removed you will still keep a good temperature in the living area.
This all works great in theory but every home is different and best thing to do is get a provider who is versed in the building performance and technologies to provide your desired outcomes.Cheers
Ken Graham, August 3rd, 2009 on 5:43 am
I would suggest you consider a real home heating solution Katie….
Rather than fiddle about with Partial Comfort solutions using a combination of heat pumps, (so called) heat recovery systems and heat transfer systems (you will be spending between $6,000 – $10,000 for a 100-160 sqm home), you could consider the Bonaire Ducted Warm Air Central Heating & Ventilation System for the same cost, it:
- Reduces condensation
- Circulates and filters air
- Reduces dust build-up
- Provides cooling-effect in summer
- Effectively heats a whole home
- Can heat different zones, at different times/temps
- Maintains heating output in colder weather
- Uses NZ natural resources more efficiently and effectively
- Is an Asthma Foundation NZ approved product
Whats More:
- Unlike Heat Pumps, there is no need to go into chilly defrost mode, plus you can enjoy quiet air distribution from many ducts not just one big blower
- Unlike Ventilation Systems, warm air reduces condensation, plus effective heating is provided efficiently on demand (you should not have warm air in your loft in winter in the evening as decent ceiling insulation should keep this heat in your rooms)
So to benefit from Total Comfort you could spend between $6,000 – $10,000 (100-160 sqm home).Hope this helps, Ken.
Happy HomeHeating Insulation Grants Chch, August 28th, 2009 on 2:50 pm
You should try it first if it really works in the hallways.
Phil, April 23rd, 2009 on 3:41 am
Its a good question. One thing to think about is the way heatpumps work. They will slow down or shut off when the rated temp is reached. If the air flow from the hallway into bedrooms is slow (and it is a bit slow thru doors) then the air will stagnate and itll be 23 deg in the hall way and of course colder in the bedrooms. They are not like fires or plug ins that can keep on going no matter what and eventually heat the whole house (maybe). Having said that, like a nightstore in the hall, they will take the chill off. And if thats what youre after (which many people are) then its a good use.
The best answers I got to this question was from our heatpump installer. Hes very practical and will sometimes recommend a console over a hi-wall for the hall as this may reduce stagnation. I’d probably recommend that specialist advice be sought for each house, as I’m sure there are many factors which might influence how a heat pump in a hallway performs.
Phil Squire
Energy Projects Manager
Sustainability Trust