Heat multiple rooms from one outdoor unit

Multi-room heat pumps — individual control, one system

One outdoor unit connects to multiple indoor units throughout your home. Each room has its own temperature control independently of the others. More efficient than running separate heat pumps — and only one outdoor unit on your wall. Papatoetoe and South Auckland.

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How it works

One outdoor unit, multiple indoor units

A standard heat pump is a 1:1 relationship — one outdoor unit connected to one indoor unit. A multi-room system changes this to one outdoor unit connected to two, three, four, or more indoor units.

Refrigerant runs through insulated pipes from the outdoor unit to each indoor unit independently. Each indoor unit has its own remote control and operates at whatever temperature you set — completely independent of the other rooms.

Turn off the rooms that aren't being used. Run the lounge at 20°C and a bedroom at 18°C simultaneously. The outdoor unit adjusts its output based on the total demand across all active indoor units.

Multi-room system layout

Outdoor unit (compressor)

Lounge
20°C

Bedroom 1
18°C

Bedroom 2
Off

Each room runs independently. Only active rooms draw power from the outdoor unit.

Two approaches

Multi-split or ducted — which is right for you?

There are two ways to heat multiple rooms from one system. Both have their place depending on your home and how you want to use it.

Multi-split system

Advantages over separate heat pumps

Running individual heat pumps in every room works, but a multi-room system does it better in several important ways.

One outdoor unit

Three separate heat pumps means three outdoor units on your exterior walls. A multi-room system achieves the same with one. Less visual impact, less wall space used, less noise.

More efficient overall

The outdoor unit adjusts its output based on total demand. When rooms are off or at temperature, the system runs at reduced capacity rather than cycling on and off repeatedly.

Only heat used rooms

Turn off the guest room, the kids' rooms during school hours, or any space not in use. You're not paying to heat empty rooms — something a ducted whole-home system can't do as cleanly.

WiFi-controllable

Most multi-split systems support WiFi connectivity, letting you control all rooms from one app. Set schedules, turn rooms on before you get home, and monitor usage across the whole system.

Mix unit types

You can combine high wall, ceiling cassette, and floor mounted indoor units on the same outdoor unit. Each room gets the unit type that suits its layout.

Fault resilience

If one indoor unit develops a fault, the rest of the system keeps running. Unlike a ducted system where a fault can affect the whole house, you'll still have heating in every other room.

Brands we install

Accredited for the three leading brands

Multi-room systems from Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin, and Panasonic are all available. We'll recommend the right system for your home's layout and the number of rooms you need to heat.

Accredited installer

Mitsubishi Electric

Their multi-zone systems support up to eight indoor units from a single outdoor unit. Reliable in Auckland's humidity with strong performance across all connected rooms.

View Mitsubishi Electric →

Accredited installer

Daikin

Daikin's multi-split range is well-regarded for efficiency and smart home integration. Their systems support mixing indoor unit types across different rooms on the same outdoor unit.

View Daikin →

Accredited installer

Panasonic

Quiet indoor units make Panasonic a popular choice for multi-room systems covering bedrooms. Their multi-split range offers solid efficiency and reliable performance across all zones.

View Panasonic →

Also installed

Fujitsu Samsung LG Hitachi Haier Carrier

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Every installation

What's included as standard

No hidden extras. Every multi-room installation includes the following.

✓

Free site assessment and system design for your home layout

✓

Supply and installation of outdoor unit and all indoor units

✓

All refrigerant line runs, insulation, and electrical work

✓

Correct sizing of each indoor unit for its room

✓

Condensate drainage installed and tested for all units

✓

Full system commissioning and testing across all zones

✓

Walkthrough of controls for each room

✓

Warmer Kiwi Homes subsidy application where eligible

✓

Full site cleanup on completion

✓

Written quote at no charge, same-day response

Government subsidy

Up to $3,450 off your installation

Multi-room installations qualify for the Warmer Kiwi Homes subsidy for eligible homes. As a government-approved provider, we handle the application on your behalf.

$3,450

Maximum subsidy for eligible homeowners

To qualify your home generally needs to be owner-occupied, your primary residence, and built before 2008. We check eligibility as part of your free assessment.

Full eligibility details →

80%

Community Services Card holders

Or qualifying community organisation members

66%

Other eligible homeowners

Owner-occupied homes built before 2008

Call to check your eligibility

Common questions

Multi-room system FAQ

The questions we get asked most about multi-room installations.

How many rooms can one outdoor unit cover?

It depends on the outdoor unit's capacity and the size of the indoor units connected to it. Most residential multi-split systems support two to five indoor units. Some commercial-grade systems can handle more. We design the system during your site assessment to ensure the outdoor unit is sized correctly for the total load across all rooms.

Can I add more rooms later?

Only if the outdoor unit has spare capacity. It's far more cost-effective to plan for all the rooms you want from the start and size the outdoor unit accordingly. Adding rooms later usually means replacing the outdoor unit as well as adding indoor units. We always discuss your long-term plans during the assessment.

Do all indoor units have to be the same type and size?

No — this is one of the advantages of multi-split systems. You can mix high wall, ceiling cassette, and floor mounted indoor units on the same outdoor unit. Each room can have whatever unit type suits it best. You can also have different capacity units in different rooms — a larger unit in the lounge, smaller ones in bedrooms.

What happens if one indoor unit breaks down?

The other indoor units continue operating normally. This is a key advantage over ducted systems where a fault with the central unit can affect the whole house. You'll lose heating in that one room while it's repaired, but everywhere else stays comfortable.

How long does installation take?

Most multi-room installations take one to two days depending on the number of rooms and how complex the pipework is between the outdoor unit and each indoor unit. We plan the routes during your site assessment so there are no surprises on the day.

Is servicing more complex with multiple units?

Each indoor unit has its own filters that need cleaning every few months — same as a standalone unit, just more of them. Annual professional servicing covers all indoor and outdoor units in one visit. We check refrigerant levels, clean the coils, and test all zones as part of the service.

Other installation types