Rinnai’s Velare® Hybrid Electric Fire isn’t just a fireplace for winter. It’s a genuine year-roundheating and cooling solution. While Rinnai’s FlameCore™ technology creates the ambience of a strikingly realistic fireplace, the integrated heat pump delivers powerful heating in winter and cooling in summer. Velare® is the only fireplace in New Zealand designed to keep you nice and cool in summer, as well as warm in winter.
Introduction
In New Zealand homes, a fireplace comes to life in winter, then sits unused as the weather warms up. So for most of the year, it’s just something you walk past. Rinnai’s Velare® Hybrid Electric Fire changes all that. By combining the ambience of a realistic flame fireplace with the powerful heating and cooling of a heat pump, it transforms the traditional fireplace into ayear-round home comfort appliance you’ll be able to use all year round.
Read on, and you can learn more about:
- the problem with traditional fireplaces
- the fireplace that also cools
- how the Velare® delivers both warmth and cooling
- whether a hybrid electric fire is worth it
The problem with traditional fireplaces
Traditional fireplaces have always been associated with warmth, comfort and bringing people together. But for all their appeal, they have one significant limitation. They’re designed almost exclusively for winter. Once the weather warms up, they become a feature to admire rather than an appliance you’ll actually use. So they often sit unused for months on end.
At the same time, many homeowners install a separate heat pump for efficient heating and cooling throughout the rest of the year. Sure, this delivers practical climate control. But it also means investing in two different appliances to solve two different problems. One for ambience and winter warmth. The other for everyday comfort all year round.
The result is duplicated cost, duplicated wall space and a compromise between design and functionality. Your fireplace creates atmosphere but has limited year-round use. Your heat pump delivers performance, but hardly becomes the visual centrepiece of a room.
That’s where a hybrid electric fire changes the conversation, bringing together all the cosiness and atmosphere of a premium fireplace with the year-round performance of an integrated heat pump in one beautifully designed appliance.
Meet the fireplace that also cools
What if your fireplace was just as useful in January as it is in July? That’s the thinking behind Rinnai’s Velare® Hybrid Electric Fire. Instead of being a feature that comes to life only when the temperature drops, Velare® is designed to deliver year-round comfort from a single, beautifully integrated appliance.
The secret lies in its integrated heat pump with seasonal intelligence. Adjustable louvres allow you to direct airflow with purpose. Refreshingly cool air is directed upwards in summer, and during winter air is directed to wrap the room in warmth. Clever stuff.
It’s a simple idea with a big impact: one appliance that adapts to the seasons rather than sitting unused for half the year. Instead of choosing between the atmosphere of a fireplace and the practicality of a heat pump, Velare® combines both. It redefines what a modern fireplace can do, making it a valuable part of everyday living all year round.
How Velare® delivers both warmth and cooling
Rinnai’s Velare® Hybrid Electric Fire isn’t just a stunning-looking fireplace. It’s got a heat pump built in. So it cleverly combines the ambience and great looks of a premium fireplace with year-round heating and cooling.
Unlike traditional fireplaces that you just use when it’s cold, Velare® gives you the extra heating power of a heat pump when temperatures drop, as well as powerful cooling when summer arrives.
At the heart of Velare® is the ability to enjoy each function independently. Rinnai’s realistic flame technology called FlameCore™ can be used on its own to create ambience, while the heating and cooling functions can be controlled separately depending on your comfort needs. This means you can enjoy the visual warmth of a fireplace without turning on the heating function, or use the heat pump functionality without the flame effect.
During winter, Velare® delivers efficient warmth to help create a cosy living environment. In summer, the integrated heat pump reverses operation to provide cooling, transforming the fireplace from a seasonal feature into a year-round home comfort solution.
By combining fireplace ambience, efficient heating and cooling performance in one appliance, Velare® removes the need to choose between style and functionality. It’s a smart way to experience the comfort of a fireplace every day of the year.
Is a hybrid electric fire worth it?
The short answer is yes. A hybrid electric fire should be looked at as an investment, combining the role of a premium fireplace and an efficient heating and cooling appliance in one integrated solution.
Rinnai’s Velare® 1500 Hybrid Electric Fire is a premium choice. But it’s one designed to deliver far more than a traditional electric fireplace.
When comparing value, it’s important to look at the complete solution. Creating the same experience with separate appliances could mean investing in both a high-quality fireplace for ambience and a separate heat pump for efficient heating and cooling.
Not only does a hybrid electric fire bring two functions together in one beautifully designed appliance, but it also simplifies installation and maximises your use of space.
For homeowners who value design, energy efficiency and long-term flexibility, a hybrid electric fire offers a unique combination of benefits. It’s a fireplace that works as hard in January as it does in July.
Like any premium home appliance, the right choice depends on your priorities. If you’re looking for a fireplace that does more than simply look good (while delivering comfort, efficiency and year-round performance), a hybrid electric fire is a very attractive option indeed.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can you use a fireplace to cool a room?
Yes. The Rinnai Velare® Hybrid Electric Fire is cleverly designed to cool a room as well as heat it. It combines a premium flame fireplace with integrated heat pump technology, delivering powerful cooling comfort in summer and warmth in winter from the same stylish appliance. - Can an electric fireplace double as a heat pump?
Thanks to Rinnai, now it can. The Velare® Hybrid Electric Fire puts together the ambience of a high-end electric fireplace with the functionality of a heat pump. You get both technologies in one appliance, allowing you to enjoy a strikingly realistic FlameCore™ flame effect while also benefiting from powerfully efficient heating in winter and cooling in summer. What’s more, you can use each function together or separately. So you can have the heating and cooling functionality without the flames and vice versa. - Is it worth having heating and cooling in one appliance?
Absolutely. Putting heating and cooling in one appliance provides greater flexibility, efficiency and value, especially when it replaces the need for separate seasonal appliances. The Rinnai Velare® Hybrid Electric Fire brings together fireplace ambience with the powerful heating and cooling performance of a heat pump, all in one integrated design. - Does a hybrid electric fire work in summer?
Totally. A hybrid electric fire is especially designed to be used in summer as well as winter. The Rinnai Velare® Hybrid Electric Fire allows you to use the cooling function of the heat pump on its own, without having the fire’s flames on. - How does Velare® cool a room like an air conditioner?
It does it using the same heat pump technology found in modern air conditioners. The integrated heat pump cools the air by removing heat from inside the room and transferring it outdoors, delivering efficient, comfortable cooling.
