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A heat pump being installed - Source: ONE News -
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The Government's push for homes to be heated using electric devices is leaving the vulnerable exposed, says Grey Power.
The lobby group's energy spokesperson says the country's snowstorm has highlighted the risk of relying solely on a heat pump.
Molly Melhuish told TV ONE's Breakfast that while heat pumps are effective most of the time, when the temperature plummets "they can ice up".
"They then actually waste energy having to melt the ice before they put heat back into your room."
The Government has installed 7,300 heat pumps in earthquake-damaged homes in the last month as part of an emergency heating programme.
Myrtle Craw is 90 and has lived in her Aranui home for 55 years. She used to have a chimney, but now has a heatpump and although it works well, she worries about the city's power grid.
"It flickered a couple of nights and I thought gosh, I hope the power doesn't go off because you wouldn't have the warmth at all," she told ONE News.
Craw says she does not agree with the Government's push for cleaner heating, saying it leaves the elderly exposed.
"If you've got nothing else and there's a power cut you've just got to go to bed," she said.
Community housing provider Nurse Maude says another problem is that when heat pumps are left on for most of the day, they are left with a large bill.
Nurse Maude and Society of St Vincent and have teamed up to circumvent the problem.
"We started working on two projects. One was providing convection heaters, the other one was the thermal underwear project," said Michael Gousmett from St Vincent Canterbury.
So far $90,000 worth of thermal underwear has been distributed.
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Add a Comment:
Post new commentbkf11 said on 2011-08-19 @ 23:07 NZDT: Report abusive post
We have one of the most efficient heat pumps as our only heat source and it's miles better than the old inefficient woodburner we had previously. It's cheaper to run, doesn't require lugging wood (which is difficult for older people especially), I don't burn myself on it and the temperature is a steady 20 deg - it doesn't go out halfway through the night. Convection heaters are much more expensive to run - how short sighted. Heat pump costs us about $100-150/month to heat most of the house 24/7
kellyoneill said on 2011-08-19 @ 22:34 NZDT: Report abusive post
Yes agree. Very bad report. Very misleading. What were they thinking???
metsecman said on 2011-08-19 @ 17:58 NZDT: Report abusive post
The best wood burner runs at around 80% efficiency. (Not to mention producing the particulates that give NZ one of the highest numbers of population suffering from asthma in the developed world).The best Heat Pump will achieve at least 300% efficiency. Comments like those given by Grey Power contribute to the reason why New Zealand is rapidly losing its "clean and green" image.
gsimpson said on 2011-08-19 @ 12:29 NZDT: Report abusive post
It is unfortunate that TVNZ did not get a comment from someone who knew what they were talking about regarding effect of defrost on efficiency. A lot of people will accept the interviewed person's comments as gospel.
Pog1 said on 2011-08-19 @ 12:08 NZDT: Report abusive post
The good brands eg Daiken can handle temps of -12deg, I leave in Invercargill where its cold most of the time and both ours work really well, the outside unit defrosts itself if need be which takes about 7mins, you get what you pay for so if you buy a cheap one of course it won't work as well.