Coolheat Blog

HEATING - What’s the best option for you?

Choosing the right form of heating for your home needs careful consideration.

There are many factors to consider when deciding. While some are obvious there are many that are a little less apparent - and a number of ways that people end up with heating that is not ideally suited to their needs.

Before you invest in any system it is worth investigating all the necessary requirements. A short list would include the following:

• Price  
• Efficiency
• Aesthetic appeal
• Functionality 
• Versatility

It also pays to consider the layout of the house and your everyday lifestyle. The climate-control option you choose can be entirely different according to whether you work long hours, are retired, have young children or health conditions.

Electric element heating

Plug in heaters: There are a number of different portable heaters on the market with panel, oil column and radiant heaters all having their different uses. They are also one of the cheapest options to buy. However they are only effective in a small area and are recognised as one of the most expensive options per kWh. While good for bolstering temperature in specific areas the running costs would likely prohibit this as a total-home solution for heating.

Nightstore: In times gone past the Nightstore has been a very acceptable and economical form of heating. These heaters can effectively halve the running costs of the standard plug-in heater but problems arise when immediate heat is required. It is also tricky reducing heat output during daytime if heat from the sun lifts the room temperature.

Underfloor heating: This option comes highly recommended for under tile spots or underfloor concrete areas as background heat set at a low temperature. Underfloor heating is similar to a nightstore in that it is not immediately controllable. Due to this inflexibility and the energy required with which to operate it, the underfloor heating system is often not economically viable.

Fires

There is no doubt that fires have been around for some time. However there have been a few changes since the early days of fire use. Recently many people have decided against the traditional favourite as the option of a home fire is extremely labour-intensive, with chopping and stacking chewing through potential leisure time. Also of note is the problem of health and environmental issues with log fires - with an estimated 40-70 deaths a year caused by air pollution in Christchurch alone.

Open fires: It is generally agreed that open fires are the most aesthetically pleasing of all the options. However the old-time romantic is now at odds with the Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury, as clean-air legislation has been put in place to reduce the environmental impact of these fires.

Standard woodburners: This is no longer an option for Christchurch residents. Due to the substantial pollution problem faced by the city the City Council and Environment Canterbury have made a decision to ban this method of heating.

Low emission burner: This method has been popular as a compromise in the face of tighter fire regulation. An informal survey has seen home-owners voice some concerns with the new heating method however. Although very pleasant to look at, many stated that wood tended to burn very fast, with some doubtful that heat output was in the same league as older woodburners.

Pellet fires: Pellet fires were popular through the 1980s and , to a lesser extent the 90s. While providing a strong heat they require a two-pronged approach as a fan is generally required to disperse the heat. Of course this uses extra electricity and, along with the purchasing of the pellets, can be cost-prohibitive. This is compounded by the limited competition in the manufacturing and supply of the pellets.  However the initial cost of purchasing is no par with other forms of equivalent heating and the fires do have a strong visual appeal.

LPG gas

Although New Zealand has LPG supplies for the domestic market into the foreseeable future there is already some importation occurring as local sources are reduced. With a decreasing reserve it is certainly not getting any cheaper to buy. Another important factor to note is that LPG, while clean burning pollutant wise is still a fossil fuel. So burning gas adds the ‘greenhouse’ carbon dioxide to the environment.

Unflued mobile gas heaters can be very effective at heating a small area however they also emit water vapour and, sometimes, toxic carbon monoxide. So your warm home can also be damp and potentially dangerous.

Flued LPG gas fires, fitted by a professional gas fitter, often have the same appearance as that of a log burner. Some are fitted with thermostats and are generally quite effective if sized correctly for the space.

Diesel

Go back 30 to 40 years and oil-fired central heating was a popular method of heating homes. The oil crises of the seventies sure put paid to that. Sized correctly diesel heating can still be quite useful and occasionally cost effective. The installation costs are often high however and generally the cost of petroleum based products is out of New Zealand’s control.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps are becoming increasingly popular in New Zealand, particularly in new homes and older homes undergoing renovation. Many people have embraced heat pump technology because of the adaptable and easy climate control the units offer.

From single room floor, wall or ceiling models to complete house ducted systems, heat pumps have been recently rated as the most economical of systems to run, not to mention the added bonus of having an effective cooling system during the summer.

The initial cost of purchasing a heat pump system is equivalent to that of other forms of heating - and the environmental benefits are far greater than most. With most rated to operate in extreme temperatures (as low as -15C) the reliability and quiet efficiency of these systems are second-to-none. Use a trusted, reputable dealer who will source the best system for your home.

Non-Inverter heat pumps: These operate on a stop/start principal of heating similar to other conventional heating systems. Programmable temperatures allow the user to dictate a certain heat - however this will drop after the unit has reached the required temperature and switched off. The process will then begin again, using more power to reheat the room once more.

Inverter heat pumps: The inverter works like a cars accelerator, gently increasing or decreasing power as required. This variety of heat pump technology reaches the desired temperature and then maintains it. That means during winter the correct temperature can be kept 24 hours per day. This method of operation not only produces a very acceptable climate, but also produces considerable savings in operating costs.

We have designed a Home Heating Guide to help you assess your home’s climate needs. Are you living in a warm, dry, healthy home or one that, for a relatively small investment, could be considerably improved? Although heat pump specialists we have produced this booklet to give an entire overview for your home’s climate needs. If you would like to request a Home Heating Guide - please do not hesitate to contact us via info@hartnell.co.nz or call us in the offices on (03) 366-3952.