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Pakenham, VIC, servicing within 75 kmOpen Mon–Fri · 8:00 am – 4:00 pmABN 35 607 575 280 · Plumbing Lic. 46828
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Heat Pump Installation · Pakenham & within 75 km

Heat pump hot water, installed properly

Nobody wakes up wanting a heat pump. You wake up with a dead tank and a decision to make. Here's the case for making it this one, which brands we'd fit in our own houses and why, and what the job actually looks like — with the rebate already in the number.

Get my free quote →Or call (03) 5947 8000
  • Up to $2,700VEU rebate, applied at the quote
  • 3–7 hoursOn site, and usually the same day
  • Three brandsiStore, Reclaim and Thermann, for three different jobs
  • 6-yearWorkmanship, plus the tank and compressor cover
Everyday benefits

Every heat pump installation we do, done properly.

VEU rebate applied at quote. Up to $2,700 for a Victorian owner-occupier at current VEEC prices ($60–$75). We handle the paperwork. You don't front the cash then chase it back six months later.

Choose your system

One shell, or two pieces?

That's genuinely the whole decision. All-in-one is a single unit where the old tank stood. Split puts the compressor outside and the tank against the wall, which is what buys you the cold-weather performance and the tank options.

Reclaim CO₂ split heat pump, compressor and tank against a brick wall
from $4,200

Split heat pump hot water

Reclaim Energy

Compressor outside, tank against the wall, a pair of lines between them. It is the better performer in the cold and the one with the tank options — stainless or glass-lined, 160 to 400 litres — because the tank isn't carrying a compressor on top of it.

  • CO₂, not R32 or R134a — A natural refrigerant with zero global-warming potential
  • Holds down to -10° — Where a cheaper unit quietly stops keeping up
  • Tank choices — Stainless or glass-lined, 160 to 400 litres
  • Two compressors to pick from — Reclaim's own 5 kW, or the Panasonic 4 and 6 kW
See the full detail
Thermann all-in-one heat pump hot water unit against a brick wall
from $2,150 inc GST

All-in-one heat pump hot water

Reclaim Energy · iStore · Thermann

Compressor and tank in a single shell. One thing to place, one thing to plumb, and the simplest way into a heat pump — which is why it's where the rebate goes furthest and where most straight electric swaps end up.

  • One thing on the wall — Compressor and tank in a single shell
  • Where the rebate goes furthest — iStore takes the VEU further than anything else we fit
  • Two brands, identical guts — Reclaim ECO R290 and Thermann ECO R290
  • R290 propane — Natural refrigerant, very low global-warming potential
See the full detail
How it looks

What it looks like against the house.

An all-in-one is one tall cylinder standing where the old tank stood, with the compressor in a shroud on top. A split is a slimmer tank against the wall and a compressor about the size of an aircon outdoor unit beside it. Neither is invisible, and anyone telling you otherwise has not carried one.

  • ~1.8 m tallA 270 L all-in-one, on the old tank's slab
  • Two piecesOn a split — tank on the wall, compressor beside it
  • 37 dBAThe Reclaim CO₂, quiet enough for a bedroom wall
  • Shady sideSited away from bedrooms and the neighbour's fence
Reclaim CO₂ split heat pump, tank and compressor against a brick wall
How it works

How a heat pump makes your hot water.

A heat pump doesn’t burn anything or run an element — it moves heat that’s already in the air into your tank, which is why it does the same job on a fraction of the power.

All-in-one
Heat pump headhotcold

Tank and heat pump in one shell — nothing to place outside.

Split system
COMPEvaporatorCompressorHeat exchangerTankhotcold

Outdoor heat pump plumbed to a separate tank indoors.

Refrigerant carries the heat Hot water out the top Cold water in the bottom
  1. 1
    Pull heat from the air

    A fan draws air across the evaporator, where the refrigerant soaks up the warmth — even a cold morning has heat to give.

  2. 2
    Concentrate it

    The compressor squeezes that refrigerant, and squeezing it makes it hot — hotter than shower temperature.

  3. 3
    Pass it to the water

    The heat exchanger hands the heat to the water. Cold in the bottom, hot out the top.

Narrow it down

Which one is right for my home?

How many of you there are, what's there now, and where it lives. Runs in your browser — nothing recorded, nothing sent.

How many people in the house?
What's there now?
Where does it go?

Answer the three and the answer appears here.

Reclaim CO₂ heat pump compressor and pipework, close up
Keeping it working

What happens in year ten.

A heat pump is a fridge running backwards into a tank, and the tank is the part that decides how long you own it. Glass-lined tanks carry a sacrificial anode that has to be replaced or the tank goes; stainless has no anode and nothing to rust. That one difference is most of the gap between a ten-year system and a twenty-year one.

  • Year fivewhen a glass-lined tank wants its anode replaced
  • No anodeon stainless — which is what the 15-year warranty is
  • -10°where a CO₂ unit still makes its rated heat
How the job runs

Our heat pump installation process, step by step.

  1. 1

    Site inspection, no charge

    We walk the existing tank position, check pipe entry, electrical supply, drainage, and outdoor placement for split-system heat pumps. On the same visit we confirm VEU eligibility and photograph the old unit for the rebate application.

  2. 2

    Written fixed-price quote in 12 hrs

    Back to you the same business day with model number, capacity, VEU rebate value, tank + heat-pump warranty and the installed price after rebate. No 'from $X', the number on the quote is the number on the invoice.

  3. 3

    We lodge the VEU application

    Approved accredited-provider paperwork submitted the day you accept the quote. The rebate is applied to your invoice, not something you chase back six months later.

  4. 4

    Install day, usually same-day swap

    AIO swap into an existing electric or gas storage tank position is 3–5 hours. Split heat pump with a new tank position is 5–7 hours. Old tank drained, disconnected, loaded up.

  5. 5

    Commission, temper, hand over

    Tempering valve to AS/NZS 3500, isolation valves in, dedicated circuit tested. We wait for hot water at the tap, then walk you through the controller and timer settings.

  6. 6

    Compliance certificate + warranty registration

    Plumbing compliance certificate emailed within 24 hours. Tank + heat-pump warranty lodged with the manufacturer in your name at the same time. VEU certificate follows within 2 weeks.

What’s included
  • Supply of the specified heat pump + all mounting hardware
  • Full plumbing install to AS/NZS 3500 (drainage, tempering valve, isolation valves)
  • Electrical connection to a dedicated circuit (new sub-board circuit if required)
  • Old tank drained, disconnected, removed and disposed of
  • VEU rebate application lodged with an accredited provider on your behalf
  • Plumbing compliance certificate emailed inside 24 hours
  • Manufacturer tank + heat-pump warranty registered in your name
We’ll quote it and let you know
  • Slab / concrete work if the old tank position needs a new pad (~$400)
  • Relocation of the tank to a new position >2 m from the existing site (charged per metre of pipe rework)
  • LPG bottle relocation or gas capping (typically ~$220)
  • Repair to underlying pipework where the old tank has been leaking for months
  • Solar PV integration (see our PV-diverter kit as an add-on)
Typical job
Time
AIO swap · 3–5 hrs. Split heat pump · 5–7 hrs (usually same-day).
Warranty
6-year workmanship + manufacturer tank/compressor cover (varies by model: 6–15 yr tank, 3–10 yr heat pump).
Price range
$2,150 inc GST (iStore) → $6,000+ (Reclaim CO₂ Split Stainless 400 L).
Follow-up
We call at the 4-week mark to check nothing's tripped and the timer's set the way you wanted.
Why a heat pump at all

It's the same hot water for about a quarter of the energy.

A heat pump doesn't make heat, it moves it. It pulls warmth out of the outside air and puts it into your tank, which is why it delivers three to four units of heat for every unit of electricity it draws. An electric element gets you one. That gap is the whole argument, and it turns up on every bill for the next fifteen years.

  • ~75%less energy than an electric element
  • $2,605rebate, owner-occupier, everything stacked
  • $0running cost if you schedule it off your solar
  • 1 dayon site for most changeovers
Reclaim CO₂ split heat pump, outdoor unit and tank installed against a brick wall

The bill drops the first quarter

Hot water is roughly a quarter of the average household energy bill. Cutting that by three-quarters shows up immediately, not eventually.

The rebate is worth the most right now

An old gas or electric tank is exactly what the VEU scheme was written to remove, so the moment your tank is on its way out is the moment the rebate is worth the most.

It pairs with solar better than anything

Schedule the heating for the middle of the day and it runs on power you'd otherwise export for a few cents. That's where the hot water bill goes to almost nothing.

No flue, no gas, no combustion

Nothing burning means no carbon monoxide test, no flue to block and one less gas appliance on the bill. If you're thinking about dropping the gas connection entirely, this is the first thing that has to go.

The honest part: they're not silent, they need airflow around the outdoor unit, and if your existing tank is under about six years old with a cheap fault we'd fix that instead and tell you to come back in a few years.

Before & after

Old electric storage tank → Reclaim heat pump

Aging electric storage tank sitting on bare dirt, pipework exposed and rusting at the base. Out it came, new concrete pad poured, Reclaim heat pump set on top, all pipework re-run and lagged. Same corner of the house, completely different result. Running cost drops by roughly three quarters on the changeover.

New Reclaim heat pump hot water system on a fresh concrete pad in the same position
Old electric storage hot water tank on bare ground beside a house
BeforeAfter

Drag the handle to compare, or use the arrow keys.

  • Same-day changeover
  • VEU rebate applied at quote
  • New slab + re-run pipework
See more real installs →
Our own jobs

Heat pumps we've put in.

Real jobs across the corridor, not catalogue renders. Every one of these is a house within 75 km of the workshop.

Reclaim CO₂ split heat pump, tank and outdoor unit against a brick wall
Reclaim CO₂ split — tank and outdoor unit, separate
Close-up of a Reclaim CO₂ heat pump tank base and pipework on a concrete pad
New pad poured, pipework re-run and lagged
Reclaim heat pump tank and outdoor unit installed beside a brick wall
Tight side access, unit still gets its airflow
Reclaim CO₂ split heat pump viewed from the left side of the house
Same job, from the other side
Thermann heat pump hot water system installed on a paved area
Thermann integrated, all-in-one
Hot water changeover completed the same day
Old unit out, new one running, same day
See the full gallery →
The range

The brands we fit for heat pump installation.

Every model, spec and installed price sits on the brand page. One press each.

Reclaim EnergyThe only mainstream CO₂ heat pump in Australia. 15-yr stainless tank on the flagship. Made in Sydney.iStoreTakes the VEU rebate further than anything else we fit. Widely serviced, healthy parts pipeline.ThermannAustralian-made by Dux (Moss Vale). Reece distribution means same-day parts state-wide.
See the full range →Every model we install — filter by brand, system type or rebate.
Free quote

Quote for heat pump installation.

60 seconds, no obligation, replied within 12 business hours. Rebates applied and GST included, so the number you get is the number you pay.

  • ✓ Same person quotes as installs
  • ✓ No obligation and no pushy call-back
  • ✓ Emergency? Call (03) 5947 8000 instead
PakenhamOfficerBeaconsfieldBerwickNarre WarrenEndeavour HillsHallamHampton Park
Step 1 of 4 · 25% complete
What do you need installed?

Takes under 60 seconds. No obligation.

Common questions

Quick honest answers.

If your question isn't here, call (03) 5947 8000.

How much is the VEU rebate right now?

Up to $2,700 for a Victorian owner-occupier at current VEEC prices ($60–$75 per certificate). We calculate your actual rebate at the quote based on your address, existing system, and household size.

How much will I save on my energy bill?

A gas-storage → heat pump swap typically saves $400–$900 a year. Electric storage → heat pump saves $700–$1,400. Payback after the VEU rebate is usually under 2 years.

Does a heat pump work in cold Melbourne mornings?

R290 (propane) units drop noticeably below 0 °C. CO₂ heat pumps (Reclaim) hold full capacity down to −10 °C, worth specifying for hills postcodes like Emerald, Gembrook or Cockatoo.

Is it noisy? Where do you put it?

37–48 dBA at 1 m depending on model, Reclaim CO₂ is the quietest at 37 dBA (safe next to a bedroom wall). Ideally sited on the shady side of the house away from bedrooms.

How long does the install take?

AIO into an existing tank position is 3–5 hours, done in one visit. Split heat pump with a new outdoor unit position is 5–7 hours. Both are usually same-day.

What's the warranty picture?

Reclaim CO₂ Stainless: 15-yr tank + 10-yr heat pump. Reclaim ECO R290 all-in-one: 8 years on the tank, parts and labour. iStore: 6-yr tank + 3-yr compressor. Plus our 6-year workmanship on top of all of them.

Can I combine it with solar PV?

Yes, Reclaim's split range is PV-diverter compatible so the heat pump only runs when your PV is exporting. We can add a diverter kit at install time or later.

What locals say

Reviews from households across the south-east.

4.9 / 5 on Google
★★★★★

Quoted Mon, installed Fri

“Took the old gas Rinnai out, dropped in a Reclaim heat pump, sorted the VEU rebate so it came straight off the price. Bloke on the phone is the bloke on the tools, refreshing.”

JM
Jess M.Pakenham · heat pump install
★★★★★

Rebate handled, didn't lift a finger

“The VEU paperwork looked scary online. They filled it all in, I signed once at the quote and once on the day. Rebate was already in the price. Painless.”

LM
Lauren M.Pakenham · heat pump swap
★★★★★

No surprises on the invoice

“Quote number matched the invoice exactly. No 'we hit unexpected wiring' story at the end. Nice change.”

PS
Priya S.Cranbourne · split install
★★★★★

Split install in half a day

“Bedroom Mitsubishi went in before lunch. Neat pipework, brackets straight, temp checked before they left. Would use again for the lounge.”

AP
Alex P.Cranbourne East · split
★★★★★

Quoted Mon, installed Fri

“Took the old gas Rinnai out, dropped in a Reclaim heat pump, sorted the VEU rebate so it came straight off the price. Bloke on the phone is the bloke on the tools, refreshing.”

JM
Jess M.Pakenham · heat pump install
★★★★★

Rebate handled, didn't lift a finger

“The VEU paperwork looked scary online. They filled it all in, I signed once at the quote and once on the day. Rebate was already in the price. Painless.”

LM
Lauren M.Pakenham · heat pump swap
★★★★★

No surprises on the invoice

“Quote number matched the invoice exactly. No 'we hit unexpected wiring' story at the end. Nice change.”

PS
Priya S.Cranbourne · split install
★★★★★

Split install in half a day

“Bedroom Mitsubishi went in before lunch. Neat pipework, brackets straight, temp checked before they left. Would use again for the lounge.”

AP
Alex P.Cranbourne East · split
★★★★★

Family business, feels it

“Answered the phone myself, quoted the job, showed up to install the job. That trail of trust doesn't exist with most of the bigger mobs anymore.”

TH
Tom H.Narre Warren · heat pump
★★★★★

Emergency sorted Sunday

“Hot water died on a Sunday with three kids in the house. Answered the phone, had a temp loaner running by lunch, new iStore in on Tuesday. That's service.”

SK
Sam K.Berwick · emergency hot water
★★★★★

Follow-up call was a surprise

“A week after install they rang to check the heat pump was running quiet and the app was set up. First tradie who's ever followed up after payment cleared.”

ND
Nick D.Beaconsfield · heat pump
★★★★★

Family business, feels it

“Answered the phone myself, quoted the job, showed up to install the job. That trail of trust doesn't exist with most of the bigger mobs anymore.”

TH
Tom H.Narre Warren · heat pump
★★★★★

Emergency sorted Sunday

“Hot water died on a Sunday with three kids in the house. Answered the phone, had a temp loaner running by lunch, new iStore in on Tuesday. That's service.”

SK
Sam K.Berwick · emergency hot water
★★★★★

Follow-up call was a surprise

“A week after install they rang to check the heat pump was running quiet and the app was set up. First tradie who's ever followed up after payment cleared.”

ND
Nick D.Beaconsfield · heat pump
★★★★★

Actually got up in the roof

“Had three quotes for a ducted system. These guys were the only ones who actually crawled into the roof. Middle of the pack on price but installed cleaner than the others would have.”

DR
Dean R.Officer · ducted retrofit
★★★★★

Cleaned up like nothing happened

“Full ducted retrofit over two days. When they left the roof cavity was tidier than they found it and the driveway had been swept. Small thing but it matters.”

BR
Bianca R.Berwick · ducted install
★★★★★

Explained everything

“Walked me through the Milieu tablet, showed the wife how to use it, showed us the compliance cert. Ten minutes of teaching that other installers just skip.”

MT
Marcus T.Officer · ducted aircon
★★★★★

Actually got up in the roof

“Had three quotes for a ducted system. These guys were the only ones who actually crawled into the roof. Middle of the pack on price but installed cleaner than the others would have.”

DR
Dean R.Officer · ducted retrofit
★★★★★

Cleaned up like nothing happened

“Full ducted retrofit over two days. When they left the roof cavity was tidier than they found it and the driveway had been swept. Small thing but it matters.”

BR
Bianca R.Berwick · ducted install
★★★★★

Explained everything

“Walked me through the Milieu tablet, showed the wife how to use it, showed us the compliance cert. Ten minutes of teaching that other installers just skip.”

MT
Marcus T.Officer · ducted aircon
Call the team(03) 5947 8000Free quote →