Palmerston North weather has two moods in winter. On a grey day the wind comes through the Manawatū Gorge and across the flat, finding every gap in an old weatherboard house. On a still, clear night the temperature drops away and the morning brings a white frost over Awapuni, Highbury and the paddocks out towards Feilding. A heat pump here has to cope with both, and an outdoor unit in an exposed spot works harder than one tucked out of the wind.
Most sections are flat and many houses sit side by side on long streets, so where the outdoor unit goes matters for you and the neighbours. The city also has a large rental market, from student flats near Massey and UCOL in Hokowhitu and Fitzherbert to family homes in Takaro and Westbrook, and newer subdivisions keep going up in Kelvin Grove, Whakarongo and Aokautere. These are the installers we'd call first.
Time to call someone in Palmerston North?
Heating gets put off in a city where the wind makes every house feel cold anyway. These are the signs it's time to stop putting up with it.
- On a windy day the lounge never gets past lukewarm, however long the heat pump runs, and you can feel draughts at the skirting boards.
- The outdoor unit sits on the windward side of the house, and on frosty mornings it ices over and keeps stopping to defrost.
- You own a rental near Massey and the tenants are using fan heaters in the living room because the fixed heater can't keep up. Our guide to the healthy homes heating standard sets out what's required.
- The heat pump is more than ten years old, it's getting louder, or it throws error codes every winter. Whether to fix it or start again is covered in when to replace a heat pump.
- Your new Kelvin Grove or Aokautere house is warm in the living area but the bedrooms down the hall stay cold, which is where a multi-room system earns its place.
-
1. Judd Refrigeration
Milson, Palmerston North
A Milson showroom where you can see the units before you choose
Judd Refrigeration has served the Manawatū for decades and has narrowed its focus over the years to heat pump air conditioning for homes and businesses, process coolers for server rooms and commercial refrigeration. Darren Judd is managing director, and the team of installers, refrigeration engineers, technicians and an electrician has 13 vehicles on the road daily. It has trained 18 apprentices, and reference sites include Massey University and the Palmerston North Police Station.
The showroom on John F Kennedy Drive in Milson is built to help you picture placement and size of indoor, outdoor and ceiling units. Daikin and Mitsubishi high wall units, floor consoles, multi systems and ducted systems are all on offer, with ventilation designed and installed for homes, rentals and holiday homes. It is an EECA service provider for Warmer Kiwi Homes, consultations can happen on site or from building plans, and payment options run through a partner.
Why they made the list
Seeing units in a showroom before committing is a real help, and a firm with on-call technicians and its own workshop can fix what it sells. Reviews praise a polite team, professional technicians, a clear quote process and informative staff, plus tidy, efficient installers and flexible scheduling. A couple mention Daikin ducted systems by name.
175 John F Kennedy Drive, Milson, Palmerston North 4414
-
2. John Leader Electrical
Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North
Main Street Master Electricians who work on almost every brand
More than 40 years in business sit behind John Leader Electrical, which works out of Main Street and across the Manawatū, Feilding, Dannevirke and Levin. As Master Electricians, it guarantees all its electrical work, and it is available around the clock for emergencies. House wiring for new and old homes, solar, alarms and security cameras fill out the rest of the work.
Heat pumps are a core service, from design and installation to repairs and maintenance on high-wall, floor and ducted systems. It services Panasonic, Mitsubishi, Daikin, Fujitsu, Toshiba, Haier, Hitachi and Gree, and handles commercial units for offices, shops and warehouses. Landlords get help with Healthy Homes heating, ventilation and electrical checks, and the team is happy to work around tenants. Measure and quote are free.
Why they made the list
If you have an older unit of almost any brand, this is a team that can service it. Polite staff and solid workmanship are what people mention most, and plenty of people call it for small jobs, not only heat pump installs. Efficient, punctual electricians and clear explanations of the work come up too.
245 Main Street, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North 4410
John Leader Electrical listing See John Leader Electrical's website
-
3. Palmerston North Home Heat Pumps
Palmerston North Wide
A local team that sizes for Manawatū wind chill
Cold, damp, windy winters are what this installer builds its quotes around. It works across greater Palmerston North, north to Feilding and south into the Horowhenua including Levin. Each visit checks the space, insulation, wall and outdoor unit placement, and wind exposure is factored into the sizing so the system suits how the house really behaves. The outdoor unit is positioned and mounted to cope with grit and gusts.
High-wall, floor console, ceiling cassette, multi-split and ducted systems are all fitted, matched to each room rather than defaulting to one type, and brands include Toshiba, Daikin, Hitachi, Fujitsu, Panasonic and Mitsubishi Electric. Electrical certification comes from a registered electrician, while the refrigerant side is carried out under an approved filler licence. Units carry the manufacturer's warranty, and filter cleans, checks and repairs are done on the systems it installs.
Why they made the list
With no Google reviews, the case rests on its approach. It factors in wind and single glazing when sizing, quotes a fixed price for supply and install, usually replies the same day, and helps eligible owners check whether they qualify for Warmer Kiwi Homes. Servicing its own installs keeps the same team responsible for the unit.
Serves Palmerston North
Palmerston North Home Heat Pumps listing See Palmerston North Home Heat Pumps's website
-
4. M K Electrical Services Ltd
Roslyn, Palmerston North
A Roslyn electrician that draws up the plans before it starts
Locally owned and based on Malden Street in Roslyn, M K Electrical Services covers the wider Manawatū for homes and light commercial clients. Every job starts with an in-depth consultation and full system design, including electrical plans and calculations. Beyond heating it handles general electrical work, LED lighting, extractor fans, EV chargers, solar, home theatre and data, and it even services motor homes and campers.
Heat pumps and air conditioning are one of its service lines, with experience in split and ducted systems. Ventilation is a strength: it designs modern systems from the ground up and repairs and maintains existing ones, which suits a damp older house that needs both. It also works alongside builders and other trades on custom projects, and quotes are free with no obligation.
Why they made the list
The planning-first approach suits a renovation where heating, ventilation and wiring all change at once. Reviewers mention fair pricing more than anything, and people also mention quick responses, a high standard of work and helpful staff. A couple of people used it for short-notice jobs, which says a lot about how it treats small work.
94B Malden Street, Roslyn, Palmerston North 4414
M K Electrical Services Ltd listing See M K Electrical Services Ltd's website
-
5. Couchmans Electrical
Roslyn, Palmerston North
Authorised Panasonic installers who promise same-day service
Since 1953, Couchmans Electrical has looked after Palmerston North and the wider Manawatū from Railway Road in Roslyn. The staff of 15 works on everything from small domestic jobs to large industrial projects, with LED lighting, appliance testing, EV charging, metering and an urgent callout service on the list. Emergency calls go straight to a licensed electrician, and a fully equipped van is sent out.
On heat pumps it is an authorised installer of Panasonic, and heat pumps sit beside its domestic and commercial electrical work. The motto is on call, same day, all day, every day, which appeals if you need a unit wired in quickly or a fault traced before a cold weekend. Domestic, commercial and industrial work are all in scope, so a unit for a house or a workshop is no problem.
Why they made the list
More than seventy years of local work and a same-day promise are a strong combination. Punctuality tops the feedback, with polite staff close behind, then heat pump installs and quick responses. A few people mention range hoods and power points, so it's a good call for a list of small jobs alongside the heating.
40 Railway Road, Roslyn, Palmerston North 4414
Couchmans Electrical listing See Couchmans Electrical's website
-
6. BDF Electrical Ltd
City Center, Palmerston North
An owner-run electrical business on Princess Street
Bradley and Natalia Fordyce run BDF Electrical from Princess Street in the city centre, and their aim is to deliver the exceptional from the first handshake. The business takes on residential projects and large-scale commercial jobs across the Manawatū, the lower North Island, Canterbury and Nelson. Its work covers new home wiring, lighting with smartphone control, security systems, EV chargers and solar, plus repairs and general maintenance.
Heat pumps and air conditioners are installed and serviced as a dedicated service line, for homes and businesses. Quotes are free, and an on-call service is available when something stops working. With alarms and security a big part of the business, it makes sense when you want several upgrades done in one visit rather than booking separate trades.
Why they made the list
An owner-run team with a clear focus on service is worth knowing about. Feedback highlights polite staff, efficient work and fast heat pump installs, with informative staff and quick timeframes also mentioned. Plenty of people have used it for alarm installation and small jobs, which shows it treats modest work seriously.
122 Princess Street, City Center, Palmerston North 4410
-
7. Knowles Electrical
Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North
Tremaine Avenue electricians who visit before choosing your units
Michael leads Knowles Electrical, which calls itself the residential specialists of the Manawatū and handles commercial electrical work as well. His experience runs across new houses, office and shop fit-outs, rewires, alterations, LED lighting, oven repairs, alarms and security systems, and the business is a licensed security installer. A showroom on Tremaine Avenue can be viewed by appointment.
For heating it installs heat pumps and ducted systems, visiting first to choose the indoor and outdoor units with your budget, comfort and the look of the room in mind. Wi-Fi options are compatible with all the units it fits, so you can run the heat pump from an app. It also installs SmartVent home ventilation with smartphone control, and its electrical work is guaranteed from start to finish.
Why they made the list
Thinking about how a unit looks in the room, as well as how it heats, is a nice touch in a character home. Its 27 reviews are five stars across the board, citing promptness, quality of work, reliability and fair costings. Heat pump installs and rewiring both come up in the comments.
733 Tremaine Avenue, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North 4414
-
8. Heatrite - Plumbing, Bathroom, Heating & Cooling
Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North
A family heating retailer since 1964 with its own install team
Family owned and run, Heatrite has traded in the Manawatū since 1964, with a store on Bourke Street in Palmerston North and another in Pahiatua. It sells bathroom ware, plumbing, heating and cooling products, and its own installation team fits what it sells. The display centre is one of the largest of its kind in the country, so you can compare heat pumps with gas, wood, electric and ethanol fires side by side.
Heat pumps centre on the Rinnai Pro Series high wall range, with Wi-Fi control from an Android or Apple app, a self-cleaning function and a sleep mode. Ducted heat pumps and multi-split systems are available for whole-home heating. Sizing takes in the room size, the number and position of doors and windows, and whether the room is insulated.
Why they made the list
If you're torn between a heat pump and a fire, this is one place to see both. Knowledgeable technicians are the top comment, followed by pleasant staff, gas heater checks, hot water cylinders and wood burner work, with tidy workmanship mentioned too. Most reviews are about fires and gas rather than heat pumps.
83/85 Bourke Street, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North 4410
Heatrite - Plumbing, Bathroom, Heating & Cooling listing See Heatrite - Plumbing, Bathroom, Heating & Cooling's website
-
9. McNae Group
Hokowhitu, Palmerston North
A Hokowhitu solar and electrical firm that also fits heat pumps
For over 35 years McNae Group has worked from Roxburgh Crescent in Hokowhitu as a family owned business, with registered electricians, trainees and electrical engineers on the team. Its work spans homes, commercial and industrial sites and farms, including irrigation, gates, generators and thermographic imaging. Solar is the biggest line, from grid-tied and off-grid systems to batteries, and it is a member of the Sustainable Energy Association of New Zealand.
On heating it supplies and installs heat pumps and air conditioning, with heat transfer and ventilation systems also available, and the focus is on energy efficient products. It guarantees its work and the products it fits. Free assessments are offered, and finance options include mortgage top-ups with Westpac, ANZ, BNZ and ASB.
Why they made the list
If you're planning solar and want a heat pump to make the most of it, one team can plan both. People praise the installation process, help with choosing the right system, good workmanship and a friendly team, and a couple mention long warranties. Most feedback is about solar.
4 Roxburgh Crescent, Hokowhitu, Palmerston North 4410
-
10. Chillmax Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Services Limited
Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North
A refrigeration team handling everything from split units to VRF
Palmerston North owned and operated, Chillmax works from Tremaine Avenue with a team of 8, serving the lower North Island and running a branch for the Auckland region. Design, supply, installation and servicing of heat pumps and air conditioning are its core, for houses as well as commercial sites, and it also covers commercial refrigeration. A 24/7 on-call service handles emergency repairs.
Products include split, multi-split, floor standing and ducted units, light commercial systems, Daikin VRV and Mitsubishi VRF, and domestic heat pump water heaters. Heat recovery ventilation is installed and maintained, and servicing and repairs cover heat pumps, refrigeration and ventilation. It is an accredited installer of major heat pump brands, and a specialist visits your home or business to advise before a free quote.
Why they made the list
Ducted systems are a clear strength, mentioned by name in feedback, and its refrigeration background helps with bigger jobs. People also praise an easy process, tidy and friendly installers, good installation quality and quick, accurate quotes. The emergency line is handy in a cold snap.
709B Tremaine Avenue, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North 4414
Chillmax Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Services Limited listing See Chillmax Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Services Limited's website
What to ask a Palmerston North installer
Size it for a windy, frosty day. Ask how they allowed for wind exposure and single glazing, and which rooms they actually measured. You can run the numbers yourself with our sizing guide and see whether the quotes agree.
Think hard about the outdoor unit. On a flat section with houses close together, a spot sheltered from the prevailing wind and away from the neighbour's bedroom window makes a real difference to performance and noise.
Pick the system for the house. A high wall unit suits a single living area, while newer, well-sealed homes in Kelvin Grove or Aokautere can suit a ducted system; the choice is explained in ducted or high wall.
Read every quote for the same details: which model, where it mounts inside and out, how far the pipes travel and how long the warranty runs. Ask if they'll be the ones maintaining it, and use our servicing checklist to judge what they offer.
Finally, check credentials. A registered electrician must do the wiring and refrigerant work calls for a separate certificate, both covered in the guide to who can install. Before booking, see whether a heat pump grant could cover part of it.
Every heat pump installer in Palmerston North is on the Palmerston North page, where you can filter by the job you need.