Read the terms behind the 10 years
AHI Carrier points buyers to ahi-carrier.co.nz/pages/warranty for the conditions. Our researchers couldn't load that page, so we can't tell you what it asks of an installer or an owner. Ask whoever quotes to give you those terms in writing, for the model they're quoting.
AHI Carrier distributes Toshiba as well, and some of its pages cover both brands together. Make sure the model on your quote is the one the warranty you're reading applies to.
The AMBI and its coil treatment
AHI Carrier's brochure for the AMBI high-wall heat pump carries a 10 years warranty badge and describes Xpower corrosion protection and a Golden fin coil treatment, with the coil ends treated for corrosion resistance.
That's the brand describing its own product. Whether it's enough for an outdoor unit facing a sea breeze, or sitting in Rotorua's geothermal air, is a question for the installer. BRANZ says outdoor units in coastal or geothermal areas need additional anti-corrosive coatings.
What a good Carrier install involves
Sizing for the room
EECA says to size on the 7 degree heating capacity when a unit will mostly heat, and where nights reach 2 degrees or lower, to check its 2 degree figure is at least as high. Our size calculator gives you a starting point.
Choosing the outdoor spot
BRANZ suggests the warmest wall, such as one facing north or west, away from bedrooms, with room for air to move freely around the unit.
Running the pipes and the drain
On a multi-split, BRANZ says the pipe maker's recommended run lengths shouldn't be exceeded. The condensate hose should end in a drain or a garden, not on a path.
Connecting and signing off
A registered electrician connects the heat pump and gives you a Certificate of Compliance, plus an Electrical Safety Certificate that WorkSafe says to keep for at least 7 years.
Questions for whoever quotes a Carrier
- Which Carrier model and size is this, and what are its heating figures at 7 and 2 degrees?
- Does the 10 year warranty apply to this model, and what does AHI Carrier need from us to keep it?
- Is extra corrosion protection needed at our address?
- Which wall gets the outdoor unit, and what's on the other side of the fence?
- Who's the registered electrician doing the connection?
Before the installer arrives, and after
You can
- Decide which rooms you actually heat, and when.
- Look for an outdoor spot with open air around it, away from bedroom windows.
- After install day, look after the filters the way the Carrier manual describes.
Leave to a licensed installer
- The heat loss and sizing calculation.
- The refrigerant pipework, the drain and the wall penetration.
- The electrical connection and both certificates.
- Any extra corrosion protection.
What we'd do
What we'd do
We'd get the warranty terms for the exact model, from AHI Carrier or the installer, before comparing quotes, because a 10 year headline means little until you know its conditions. Then we'd hand the install to someone who fits high-wall or ducted heat pumps every week, and keep the certificates with the invoice.