Which Heat Pump System Is Right for Me?

Which Hot Water System Is Right for My Home?

Not all heat pumps are created equal — and not every household needs the same setup. This guide breaks down how to choose the right system based on your home, budget, and hot water usage.

How to Size a System

• Daily hot water usage (people in home, showers, appliances)

• Storage tank size vs. continuous flow

• Split vs. integrated systems

• How climate and location affect performance

Calculate the Right Tank Capacity

Here’s a rough guide to choosing the right size tank for your home:

Household Size	Recommended Tank Size
1–2 people	160–200 litres
3–4 people	250–300 litres
5–6 people	300–400 litres
7+ people	400+ litres

⚠️ Keep in mind: these are general recommendations — if you use a lot of hot water atonce (e.g. baths, multiple showers), go up a size to avoid running out.

Understanding Recovery Time (Most Installers Won’t Tell You This)

Heat pumps are not like instant gas systems — they use a storage tank that fills up and gradually heats water.

Once you use up the hot water in the tank, the unit needs time to recover and reheat more. Depending on weather and system size, this can take 4–6 hours.

So it’s important to ask:

• What’s the recovery rate of the system?

• Does the system include an electric element?

An electric booster can kick in when needed — acting as a backup to ensure you don’t run out of hot water completely.

If your household uses a lot of hot water in the morning or evening, recovery time becomes a major factor in choosing the right system.

☀️ SECTION 3: Got Solar? Make Sure You Can Control It

If you have rooftop solar, a heat pump is a great way to use more of your solar power.

But not all systems give you control.

Look for:

• Wi-Fi connectivity or smart scheduling

• The ability to set your system to run during the day (when solar is active)

• Apps or timers that let you optimise your usage

This helps you avoid running the system at night and drawing from the grid unnecessarily.

Things to Consider

• Space available (backyard wall vs. tight sideway)

• Noise sensitivity (some brands are quieter than others)

• Solar compatibility

• Upfront budget vs. long-term savings

Brand Breakdown

(Very lightly branded and honest — not a hard sell)

• Rinnai - Australian Made, backed by local support and warranty

• Sanden – ultra-efficient, quiet, higher upfront cost

• Stiebel Eltron – well-known German design, compact

• Chromagen – good balance of value and performance

• Reclaim – reliable Australian support

• iStore – solar-ready, good rebate compatibility