Ceiling Cassette Heat Pumps for Invercargill Homes and Offices
A cassette sits flush in your ceiling and pushes warm air out four ways, so it's nearly invisible and heats a big open room evenly. Good fit for newer builds and offices around greater Invercargill.
A ceiling cassette heat pump is an indoor unit recessed into your ceiling, with only a flat grille showing. It blows warm or cool air out four sides, so open-plan rooms heat evenly. It suits homes and offices with a suspended ceiling or roof space above.
Why a four-way cassette suits open-plan Invercargill rooms
Invercargill's heating season is long, so you want warmth that reaches every corner without a wall unit blasting one end of the room. A four way cassette heat pump sits in the middle of the ceiling and throws air out all four sides, which spreads heat far more evenly across a big open-plan kitchen and living space.
Because the unit is recessed, there's nothing on the wall taking up space or catching the eye. In a new build or a renovation where you've spent money on the look of the room, that matters. Offices like them for the same reason: even warmth, quiet, and out of the way.
What your ceiling needs for a recessed unit
A recessed ceiling heat pump needs somewhere to hide the body of the unit. That means either a suspended ceiling with a cavity above the tiles, or enough clear roof space between the ceiling and the roofline. Most newer homes and commercial fit-outs across Windsor, Heidelberg and Richmond have this; older Invercargill villas with a raked or lined ceiling often don't.
We check the depth of your roof space and where the joists and any bracing sit before we promise anything. If the cassette won't fit cleanly, we'll tell you straight and talk through other options rather than force it in.
- A suspended ceiling cavity or clear roof space, usually 250-350mm deep
- Room above for the unit body, ducting collar and drainage fall
- A path for the pipe run out to the outdoor unit
- Power supply the installer can reach
Cassette or another style of heat pump
A cassette isn't the only way to heat a room, and it's not always the cheapest. If you don't have roof space, a floor console or a standard high-wall will do the same job for less. It's worth comparing the different types of heat pump before you settle, and if a room sits cold at floor level a floor console heat pump can be the better call.
Heating several rooms at once? A multi split heat pump runs a few indoor units off one outdoor unit, and you can mix a cassette with other head types. For a whole-home solution hidden entirely in the roof, look at ducted heat pump systems instead.
Fitting and running costs in a Southland home
A cassette install takes more work than a high-wall because we're working up in the ceiling, so it usually costs a bit more. The outdoor unit, pipe run and drainage still need to be planned properly for our damp, cold winters. Our heat pump installation in Invercargill covers the ceiling cut, sealing and commissioning so the unit runs clean and quiet.
For a rough idea of what you'll pay, see our notes on heat pump installation cost, then get us out for an exact figure. If you're weighing a floor console, ducted run or a multi split against a cassette, tell us the room and we'll point you the right way.
Not sure a cassette fits your ceiling?
Send us your room size and ceiling type. We'll tell you honestly whether a cassette works or another option is smarter. Phone 03 244 7345.
Ceiling cassette questions we get asked
What is a ceiling cassette heat pump?
It's a heat pump indoor unit built into your ceiling, with just a flat square grille visible below. Warm or cool air blows out of all four sides of that grille. The working parts sit hidden in the roof space or ceiling cavity, and the pipes run out to an outdoor unit on the wall or ground.
Where can a ceiling cassette heat pump be installed?
It can go anywhere with room above the ceiling to hide the unit, so either a suspended ceiling cavity or enough clear roof space. That covers most newer builds and offices around greater Invercargill. It won't suit a raked, lined or shallow ceiling where there's no space to tuck the body away.
Are ceiling cassette heat pumps good for heating?
Yes, and even airflow is their strength. Blowing out four ways means a cassette warms a large open-plan room more evenly than a single wall unit, which suits our long heating season. Just make sure it's sized for the room; an undersized unit will struggle on the coldest Southland mornings.
Get a ceiling cassette quote for your place
We install cassettes in homes and offices across Waikiwi, Otatara, Richmond and the rest of Invercargill. Tell us about your ceiling and we'll sort a proper quote.