A comfortable home often comes down to the things you don’t see. Cosy evenings in winter, cool air circulating bedrooms in summer, hot water at the touch of a button – these are the unsung heroes quietly working in the background to keep a family home comfortable.
Art and Matilda Green know this too well. They moved into their Warkworth home in the middle of winter. Floors were cold underfoot, the log fire didn’t work, and a single heat pump in the lounge struggled to heat the bedrooms down the hall. “All the windows were covered in water every single day,” Matilda says.
“When summer began, the house was boiling. It’s so beautiful having all our windows and sunlight, but it was very hard to cool down. The kids couldn’t sleep. Bedtime was getting later and later.”
Long-time Haier users, Art and Matilda selected the Haier Ducted Heat Pump system to regulate their home’s temperature. With children’s bedtime a priority and storage space already at a premium, the quiet, space-saving ducted system appealed. Instead of wall-mounted units in every room, discreet ceiling grilles deliver heating and cooling throughout the house.
“The Haier Ducted Heat Pump has just been honestly amazing,” says Matilda. “Over summer, knowing we could come home after being out all day at the beach and cool the house down in as little as 10 minutes was incredible.”
A zoning system means the children’s bedrooms and the main suite can be heated or cooled independently.
“In about 10 minutes, it’s cooled right down to the perfect temperature for the kids to go to sleep. We can also put it on a timer, so now that mornings are colder and the days can still heat up, we can adjust it easily,” she says.
In hot water
Also working quietly behind the scenes is the family’s new Haier Monoblock heat pump hot water cylinder. Using heat pump technology, the system draws warmth from the surrounding air and uses electricity only to power the compressor and fan, rather than heating water directly through an electric element.
This can reduce the electricity used to heat the same volume of water by 64-79 per cent compared with a traditional electric resistance water heater*.
“It’s been far cheaper to run, and I’m told it’s far more efficient,” says Art. Crucially, the Monoblock system has been installed under the house, freeing up valuable storage space inside.
“We were able to remove the old electric hot water cylinder that used to take up heaps of room in a cupboard. Now we’ve got that entire space back for storage.”
Reliable hot water is key for this busy rural family, powering everything from the bathroom to the laundry, which will soon be fitted with sleek new Haier appliances (see below).
Connectivity confirmed
The Haier ducted air conditioning system, heat pump hot water system, and soon the laundry and kitchen appliances are all managed through the SmartHQ™ app, which Art describes as a game-changer.
“The SmartHQ™ app is awesome,” he says. “I can check how the hot water cylinder’s going, what temperature it’s at, change the air conditioning, or turn hot water and power off if we’re heading away.”
Scheduling the heating and cooling has become part of the family routine. “I set the temperature we want the house to reach in the morning and programme the timer so it switches on just before we get up,” he says. “We wake up with the house already at the perfect temperature, which makes a big difference on those colder winter mornings.”
With Art acting as the family’s self-described “logistics manager”, the SmartHQ™ app has become a central tool for keeping the household running smoothly. “It just makes life so much easier and more streamlined,” he says.
* Energy savings of 69-79 percent are based on Haier Monoblock 200L, 250L and 330L when compared to a standard electric storage water heater.
LIGHT LOADS
Time efficiency is key when you’re cranking through laundry for a busy family. For their Warkworth renovation, Art and Matilda selected the sleek duo of Haier’s 600 Series washing and drying appliances.
12kg 600 Series Front Load Washer
$1999 at Haier
Even the washing from a busy family of five runs more smoothly with this Haier front-load washer.
Boasting 5-star water and energy ratings, it keeps usage efficient while delivering outstanding care. Smart features include Ultra Fresh Air technology, which circulates air to keep clothes fresh, and UV Protect technology, eliminating more than 99.99 percent of bacteria.
Wi-Fi connectivity through the Haier SmartHQ™ app lets the Greens start or stop cycles remotely and receive alerts when washing is done. No more damp laundry left overnight.
10kg 600 Series Heat Pump Dryer
$2199 at Haier
Using the same efficient heat pump technology as the air conditioning system, the Haier 600 Series Heat Pump Dryer is significantly more energy-efficient than traditional dryers.
The Ultra Reverse Drum is designed to reduce tangles and dry more evenly, changing rotation direction every four minutes while continuously circulating warm air.
And proving that powerful drying technology doesn’t mean damage, the Heat Pump Dryer has a Woolmark Bluecertified Wool cycle, specially designed for hand-wash-only wool items – ideal for those winter woollies.
