If your heat pump only ever runs in winter, you’re using half of what it can do. The same unit that warms your lounge in July can cool it in January, using the equipment already on your wall or in your ceiling.

How One Unit Manages Both Heating & Cooling

A heat pump moves heat rather than creating it, and a small component called a reversing valve decides which direction that heat travels.

Mode What the valve does Result
Heating Routes refrigerant through the outdoor unit first, then indoors Warmth drawn from outside air is released into the room
Cooling Reverses the flow Heat is absorbed from inside your home and carried back outside

Making the Switch

  • mode button cycles between a sun icon (heating) and a snowflake (cooling), often alongside fan-only and auto settings
  • Auto mode lets the unit decide based on room temperature. Convenient day-to-day, but it can swap between heating and cooling more than you’d expect on a mild day
  • Manual mode gives you more control over which one is running

Recommended temperatures, per the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority when using aircon in summer:

Setting Recommendation
Cooling, daytime 24°C minimum – on cooling mode
Cooling, overnight 20°C is a reasonable target for comfortable sleep

Both are higher than most people assume. Every degree lower than necessary adds to the running cost without much extra comfort.

Tips To Get Ready Before You Switch

Clean the filters

Consumer NZ recommends vacuuming heat pump filters with a brush attachment: at least once a year for occasional use, or up to four times a year if the unit runs through both summer and winter. A clogged filter is one reason a heat pump might seem to be cooling weakly.

Clear the outdoor unit

Leaves, plants, and general debris restrict airflow and make the whole system work harder to hit the same temperature.

Check the basics before booking a callout

If the unit is switching to cooling but blowing warm or barely cool air, a dirty filter or blocked outdoor unit is the first thing to rule out before assuming the unit is broken.

One Mechanism, Every Style

Single room, high wall, floor mounted, ceiling cassette, multi-split and ducted heat pumps from Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric and Panasonic; the ranges we install all heat and cool the same way.

A ducted system cools a whole home the same way it heats one. If some rooms run warmer than others once summer hits, that’s usually a sign to look at zone control instead of running the whole system harder to compensate.

Heat Pump Cooling FAQs

Does every heat pump cool as well as it heats?
Most heat pumps sold in New Zealand today, including single room, high wall and ducted systems, are reverse-cycle and built to do both.
Does cooling mode use more power than heating?
Not inherently. Running any mode at a more extreme setting than needed increases power use.
Why is my heat pump blowing warm air after I've switched to cooling?
Usually a dirty filter, a blocked outdoor unit, or the remote still set to auto or heating rather than cooling. Check those three before booking a service callout.
Should I get a service before switching to cooling for the season?
If it’s been running well and had a filter clean recently, no. If it’s been a year or more since a proper service, book one before the first hot stretch rather than during it.
Can ducted heat pumps cool as well as wall units?
Yes. A correctly sized ducted system cools a home the same way it heats it; uneven results between rooms point to a sizing or zoning issue rather than the equipment’s ability to cool.