Heat Pump Installation Example (All In One – AIO)
How We Install an All-in-One (AIO) Heat Pump
This case study explains how we install an All In One (AIO) heat pump and the process you follow with us.
It’s a rundown of what you get as standard with our (All In One – AIO) installations and how the installation day is set out.
There is a difference between a professional installation of a heat pump and a quick changeover often done by other businesses. Often, those businesses need their installer to install 3-4 systems a day, so they do it quickly.
We understand everyone wants a bargain, but when it comes to the world of heat pumps, a bargain may be a long-term liability you get stuck with. I cannot emphasise enough: if the deal sounds ridiculously cheap and too good to be true, then compare that price with multiple businesses. We offer realistic prices. Other operations start low, get their foot in your door, then it’s $ plus this, $ plus that and plus even more. With us, you get what you pay for.
We mention in our heat pump page,
“If it’s too good to be true, it usually is!”
We take care of the job from start to finish. From the initial contact where you may have found us on this website, which we update weekly, to phone or email contact, you are dealing with us directly, locally.
We even have indicative installation prices for most popular systems on our website. We believe we have enough systems to cater for all needs. If you wish to proceed further, we attend the site to quote, making sure the system can go in and confirm any special requirements needed for the job.
Safe, Professional Heat Pump Delivery
We arrange delivery of the system, and in most cases we deliver the system ourselves in our special heat pump delivery vehicle. We don’t use any old trailer; we have a dedicated vehicle with an appropriate hydraulic lift. Often systems must be delivered upright. Alternatively. they’re delivered by the manufacturer.
Some locally manufactured systems we deliver virtually come straight off the assembly line to us.
All-in-one (AIO) systems are often large, so take care when transporting them to site.
Behind the scenes, Janey handles all rebate submissions and she assists you with any information you are required to provide.
And of course we keep the plumbing in house using Geoff with over 40 years experience, his son Trent who has recently successfully completed his apprenticeship and Riley who is our trade assistant, obtaining his pre-apprenticeship experience.
We are all from one family, a small local family business.
What you get with every All In One (AIO) heat pump we install and included in the indicative price as advertised on the website. Everything we install here is new and is often the difference between a professional installation by The Hot Water Man and the cheap installs you find flooding social media. We know our installation quality and workmanship exceed that of the “others”.
Our AIO Heat Pump installs all come with:
A- New Tempering Valve. This ensures the delivered water temperature is delivered at a safe temperature of 50 DegC.
B- Combination water inlet Stop Tap, incorporating non return valve and inbuilt pressure limit valve. This protects your tank and relief valve from over pressure.
C- Tank inlet and outlet Water Filters. This ensures any foreign matter is restricted from entering your tank and tempering valve. These are also easily accessible for cleaning.
D- New 15mm Copper Tube connecting your existing hot and cold water pipes to the new system.
E- Tank Overflow Drain installed to the appropriate termination point in copper and fully lagged for a minimum of 2m. Location discussed at time of quote.
F- All required water pipes are covered in Lagging which is solar/UV rated EPDM closed cell foam.
G- Additional Pressure Limit Valve standard on all installations.
Additional items that may be required:
Often, the system may already be installed on a decent concrete pathway; however, if a substantial base is required for the new system, the only additional common installation item that may be required is a concrete slab. For small systems we use 600mm Concrete Slabs and for larger systems we install 750mm Concrete Slabs. Large heat pumps on small concrete slabs look ridiculous and often lead to systems looking like the “Leaning Tower of Pisa”. In the scheme of things, concrete slabs are not expensive, however every house is different.
Electrical:
For 10 Amp Plug-In systems (such as Rinnai 300L GR Series – AIO), we have not included the price of a Power Point as there is often one already there from the old system, especially if the old system is a gas boosted solar or continuous flow system. However if you do need a power point, allow around $250.
For 15 Amp Dedicated Circuit systems (such as Rheem 270L Ambiheat – AIO), when transitioning from Gas to Heat Pump HWS we have included the price of electrical for a standard job. See From Gas Pricing.
This includes:
- Suitable Residual Current Breaker with Overcurrent protection – RCBO
- New Dedicated Circuit from switchboard to system.
- Lockable isolator at system location.
- Subject to inspection at the time of quote, generally for a single-level tiled roof with a system no more than 12 m from a compliant switchboard.
For 15 Amp Dedicated Circuit systems (such as Rheem 270L Ambiheat – AIO), when transitioning from Conventional Electric HWS to Heat Pump we have included the price of electrical for a standard job. See From Electric Pricing.
This includes:
- Lockable isolator at system location.
- Electrical connection from isolator to system by Electrician.
- Subject to inspection at the time of quote and existing compliant switchboard and original system wiring.
These prices are for existing external changeover installations and NOT for existing systems installed internally or in a roof space.
We do our best to make our prices understandable and cover many common scenarios. You may look at a price on our site and think it looks expensive compared to systems on social media; however, if you compare apples with apples, our prices honestly reflect a quality product and installation. Compare our installation examples with others you are looking at, and you make the decision. We are proud to post our installation examples on our Case Studies page. You will also find some installations on Facebook and Instagram.
We have put together a compilation of installation photos from different jobs with a brief description of what is occurring.
1- Site Preparation. Often, a much smaller gas system is installed, so we must install an appropriately sized concrete slab larger than the cylinder base. Most times we must build the slab up to an appropriate height using crushed rock and concrete mix, then level the slab. Heat pumps are very heavy, many around 150 kg, and they might hold 330kg of water. That’s close to half a tonne, a little different from the 200kg total weight of a gas storage system.
Sometimes we find that even if the existing system is installed on a concrete area, it may have been graded so the rainwater can run away. If that’s the case, then we often find it a better job to put a slab down and get that level.
2- Getting the unit from the vehicle to the location. You can see from the photos that many systems are large. They are also top heavy. When you are investigating a heat pump, you really need to make sure access is suitable and that you will have usable space once the system is installed. Often we require the three of us to move the system. You also may need to walk by the system occasionally, so make sure your area is large enough.
3- Unbox and install the system on the slab/ground, and make sure it is level horizontally and vertically. We need to make sure the system is far enough away from walls and corners, subject to individual system requirements.
4- We can now install the system, plumbing in the new required valves as mentioned previously. The new pipework will be lagged. We use solar/UV EPDM closed cell foam lagging. As a plumber with over 40 years experience, I am not a fan of the silver foil type lagging hyped up on some social media sites. From my experience it doesn’t last as well and makes the installations look “agricultural”.
5- Often at this period if a dedicated circuit or electrical work is required, our Electrician will be completing this work around now. If you have a usable compliant power point then we will use this if the new system is appropriate. These are now becoming very popular.
6- Your old system also gets decommissioned and scrapped. It cannot be re-purposed again. It will be officially scrapped at a recycling facility.
7- Along the installation, we are continually taking progress photos of the installation. These are geotagged and required for rebates.
8- At the end of the installation we commission the system and show you how it works. If your system has a wifi connection and not all do, Trent will assist you in setting up any wifi connection or getting the system to connect to your phone if required.
Ai was not used in this Case study.