Finding the best underfloor heating in Palmerston North comes down to matching the system to the floor, whether that means hydronic pipework poured into a new concrete slab or an electric mat laid under bathroom tiles. Underfloor heating in Palmerston North is usually fitted by refrigeration, plumbing and electrical firms that also select and commission the heat source, so the same team handles the boiler or air to water heat pump sitting behind the floor. Judd Refrigeration keeps a walk in showroom on John F Kennedy Drive in Milson and Semtex runs its heating work out of West End, while one company below is based in Levin rather than in the city.
1Judd Refrigeration Ltd
Judd Refrigeration is a second generation family business in Milson working across refrigeration, heat pumps, air conditioning and ventilation for the greater Manawātū. Its underfloor heating is hydronic, circulating warmed water through pipes set into the floor and pairing that circuit with a Daikin Altherma Bi-Bloc air to water system, an approach the company puts forward for polished concrete and tile. A purpose built showroom laid out like a house, with exposed wall and ceiling cavities, lets customers see equipment installed and running before committing.
Services
- Hydronic underfloor heating for polished concrete and tile floors
- Daikin Altherma Bi-Bloc air to water space heating and domestic hot water
- Daikin and Mitsubishi heat pumps in high wall, floor console, multi system and ducted formats
- Residential and commercial ventilation, including Lossnay, SmartVent and heat transfer systems
- Planned preventative maintenance and after hours servicing
Highlights
- Trading since 1969, first as Cutler and Judd, with Judd Refrigeration formed in 1977
- Second generation family owned, with Darren Judd taking over as Director in 2001
- Fleet of 13 service vehicles, and a workshop behind the showroom where equipment can be dropped in for a diagnostics report
- Has trained 18 apprentices, several of them placed in the Wallie Askew Awards
- Managing Director holds an Advanced Trade Certificate in Refrigeration and sits on the Competenz Advisory Group covering HVAC and refrigeration qualifications
Location & Contact
Name: Judd Refrigeration Ltd
Address: 175 JFK Drive, Milson, Palmerston North 4412
Phone: 06 358 0896
Website: jrl.co.nz
2Semtex Limited
Semtex is a Palmerston North plumbing, gas, drainage and civil pipelaying company that runs hydronic central heating as a service line of its own, installing and maintaining both underfloor and radiator systems. The heating team designs the circuit and recommends a heat source to suit the house and its location, working alongside the technical people at Central Heating New Zealand. It operates from West Street in West End and also carries out commercial and civil contract work around the country.
Services
- Hydronic underfloor heating design, installation and maintenance
- Radiator heating for residential and commercial buildings
- Air to water heat pumps as the heating and cooling source
- Natural gas, LPG and diesel boiler installation and servicing, including flue gas analysis and flue cleaning
- Central heating servicing, repair and system design
Highlights
- Established in 2015 by Matthew and Hayley Nieper
- Master Plumbers member
- Team carrying more than 200 years of combined experience across plumbing, gas, drainage and civil pipelaying
- Health and safety, quality and environmental policies published on the site for clients to read before engaging
Location & Contact
Name: Semtex Limited
Address: 58 West Street, West End, Palmerston North 4412
Phone: 0800 473 6839
Website: semtex.co.nz
3SES Electrical
SES Electrical is a Palmerston North electrical company whose heating and cooling arm lists underfloor heating alongside hot water heating and whole home central heating and cooling. The team works across brands including Panasonic and Mitsubishi Electric, and asks to be brought into a project early so wiring and heating can be planned together with the design and build team. Its electricians cover Palmerston North, Feilding, Levin, Foxton, Bulls and Dannevirke.
Services
- Underfloor heating
- Home central heating and cooling systems
- Hot water heating
- High wall, floor mounted and ducted heat pump installation
- Heat recovery and moisture removal systems
Highlights
- Established for more than 35 years as Palmerston North electricians
- Registered electricians, with workmanship guaranteed
- Works across Panasonic and Mitsubishi Electric equipment rather than a single brand
- Also handles solar, security, home automation and audio visual, so one contractor can cover a whole new build fit out
Location & Contact
Name: SES Electrical
Address: Unit 3, 216 John F Kennedy Drive, Palmerston North
Phone: 06 355 5130
Website: seselectrical.nz
4Tap Plumbing Solutions
Tap Plumbing Solutions is a small Palmerston North plumbing and gasfitting business run by Tuhi and Nick, working across the city and the Manawatū District on renovations, new builds and older homes that need repiping. Underfloor heating sits in its heating line alongside boiler and radiator systems and wood burning fireplaces, and Tuhi’s own background covers solid fuel, radiators and underfloor work. The pair work from vans rather than a shopfront, with residential renovation the main focus.
Services
- Underfloor heating systems
- Boiler and radiator heating systems
- Gas central heating and gas water heating
- Wood burning fireplace installation
- Hot water cylinder replacement, repiping and replumbing of older homes
Highlights
- Tuhi started plumbing in 1996 and is a registered plumber and certifying gasfitter
- Nick is a certified plumber, gasfitter and drainlayer with 20 years in the trade in New Zealand and overseas
- Retrofitting Infinity continuous flow water heaters is a stated specialty
Location & Contact
Name: Tap Plumbing Solutions
Address: Palmerston North
Phone: 021 702 336
Website: tapplumbing.nz
5Kingston & Kemp Ltd
Kingston & Kemp is a Levin based plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying firm that installs gas fired central heating, gas air ducting and underfloor heating for properties from Kāpiti through to the Manawatū, so a Palmerston North job means a crew travelling in rather than working from a depot in the city. Adam and Raymond run a certified team handling everything from gas conversions and instantaneous hot water through to wastewater systems and water pumps. The company has been trading for more than 45 years.
Services
- Underfloor heating installation
- Gas fired central heating, supply and installation
- Gas air ducting
- Gas hot water conversions and instantaneous continuous flow hot water
- Natural gas and LPG appliance installation and servicing
Highlights
- Trading for over 45 years
- Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers, with the 12 month Master Plumbers guarantee covering workmanship and advance payments
- Team carrying around 180 years of combined trade experience
- Backflow testing carried out in accordance with IQP requirements
- Certified gasfitters across Levin, Manawatū, Horowhenua and Kāpiti, with cover available around the clock
Location & Contact
Name: Kingston & Kemp Ltd
Address: 23 Hokio Beach Road, Levin
Phone: 06 368 2681
Website: plumberlevin.co.nz
Underfloor Heating in Palmerston North at a Glance
| Business | Highlight |
|---|---|
| Judd Refrigeration Ltd | Trading since 1969, first as Cutler and Judd |
| Semtex Limited | Established in 2015 by Matthew and Hayley Nieper |
| SES Electrical | Established for more than 35 years as Palmerston North electricians |
| Tap Plumbing Solutions | Tuhi started plumbing in 1996 and is a registered plumber and certify... |
| Kingston & Kemp Ltd | Trading for over 45 years |
How to Choose the Right Underfloor Heating in Palmerston North
- Settle the hydronic or electric question first, because pipework in a slab suits a new build or a full floor replacement while an electric mat is usually the practical answer for a single bathroom.
- Ask who selects and commissions the heat source, since a hydronic floor performs only as well as the boiler or air to water heat pump feeding it.
- Check the installer has worked with your floor covering, as polished concrete, tile and timber all respond differently once heat is running underneath them.
- Match the registration to the work: gasfitting for a gas boiler, electrical for a mat and its thermostat, and plumbing for the pipework and manifold.
- Ask for the heat loss calculation in writing so the system is sized to the house rather than to a rough guess, and confirm what the servicing schedule looks like afterwards.
Frequently Asked Questions About Palmerston North Underfloor Heating
What is the difference between hydronic and electric underfloor heating?
A hydronic system circulates warmed water through pipes set into or under the floor, with a boiler or an air to water heat pump doing the heating. An electric system uses a resistance mat or cable under the floor covering and runs directly off the power supply. Hydronic suits whole house heating and larger floor areas, while electric is more often used for a bathroom or a single room where the pipework of a wet system would be hard to justify.
Who installs underfloor heating in Palmerston North?
Three trades share this work. Plumbers and gasfitters handle hydronic pipework, manifolds, boilers and gas heat sources; refrigeration and heat pump firms handle air to water heat pumps and the hydronic circuits attached to them; and electricians handle electric mats, cables and the thermostats that control them. A larger job combining a wet system with a heat pump often involves more than one of them working together.
Can underfloor heating be retrofitted into an existing house?
Yes, though the method depends on the floor. An electric mat can go down during a bathroom or kitchen renovation when the tiles are coming up anyway. A hydronic system in an existing home usually means either lifting a timber floor to run pipework between the joists or overlaying the existing slab, which raises the floor height and affects doors and thresholds. Work at that scale can trigger a building consent, so it is worth reading the guidance at building.govt.nz before planning the job.
Which floor coverings work best with underfloor heating?
Tile, stone and polished concrete conduct heat well and are the usual choice, which is why installers point to concrete and tile floors first. Engineered timber and some vinyl products are rated for use over heating but carry a stated maximum surface temperature, and thick carpet with heavy underlay insulates the floor and works against the system. Confirm the rating of the specific product with both the flooring supplier and the heating installer.
How do I check that an installer is registered?
Plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers are licensed by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board, and a tradesperson can be looked up on the public register at pgdb.co.nz. Electrical work is regulated by the Electrical Workers Registration Board, which keeps its own register at ewrb.govt.nz. Check the register that matches the work rather than the company name on the van.
Which parts of Palmerston North and the Manawatū do these installers cover?
Covering the whole city from a single base is normal in this trade, so a workshop in Milson or West End will take a job at the far end of Palmerston North. Travel out to Feilding, Levin, Foxton, Bulls and Dannevirke is common too, and firms based in Levin or on the Kāpiti side come the other way into the Manawatū. If you are outside the city boundary, ask about the travel charge when you book the site visit.
Does an underfloor heating system need servicing?
The pipework or mat in the floor is buried and is not serviced, but the plant driving a wet system is. Boilers and air to water heat pumps benefit from an annual service, and pumps, manifolds and controls get checked at the same visit. Planned maintenance agreements are offered by several Manawatū heating firms so that service is booked rather than remembered.
Is underfloor heating enough to heat a whole house?
A properly sized hydronic system can be the main heat source for a house, which is why it is specified in new builds with a concrete slab and good insulation. It warms slowly and holds temperature, so it suits steady all day heating rather than a quick blast of warmth. In a poorly insulated older home an installer may recommend radiators or a heat pump for rooms that need to come up to temperature fast, with the floor doing the background heating.
How We Chose the Best Underfloor Heating in Palmerston North
Every business in this guide was found by searching for underfloor heating in Palmerston North, then checked against what the business publishes itself: its own website, or where it has none, its official social or booking page. Names, addresses and phone numbers come from those pages rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what the business says about itself. We also check that each one is still trading and is actually based in or genuinely serving Palmerston North, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business we can’t confirm from its own pages is not listed.