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| House Heating |
Introduction
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There are a number of different ways and systems that are available to us now that will help to keep your home warm in winter. You should choose a system that will best suit the style of your home as well as the size of the area that you want to heat. There are some things to consider before you choose your system and one of the most important ones for most of us is to pick a system that is energy efficient. By picking a system that will minimise the amount of energy used in your home you will be helping the environment and more importantly you will be saving money. The ideal scenario for your home is to have it designed so that it keeps the summer sun out and lets the winter sun in. By designing and building your home smarter with better insulation, planing and house orientation you can make your home comfortable all year round but sometimes this cannot always be so and as a result we have to use some artificial help. This guide will show you some examples of what is available to you. |
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Open Fires
Nothing looks as nice and makes you feel warmer instantly than an open fire. Today there are lots to pick from including traditional wood heaters, gas and electric models that all offer the charm of an open fire with flames and glowing hot coals or logs.
If you do not have an existing fireplace all is not lost, as they can be installed as an enclosed chamber with an outside flue to draw in air. Modern fires use a metal firebox construction which has an air passage around it from which heat can be drawn and directed into the room via front-mounted vents instead of going up the chimney. They are cleaner burning and easier to control.
Prices - You should expect to pay around $950 - $1250 for the firebox, plus flue and fittings
Reverse cycle air-conditioning
This is a great way to heat your home in winter as well as keeping it cool in summer. Electric\split systems comprise an outdoor compressor plus usually one indoor outlet. You can also get ducted systems where the air is channelled throughout the house via vents.
This type of system is very energy efficient and compared to other systems is cheap to run.
Prices - For a split system expect to pay from around $2000 - $3500 installed (the closer the compressor is to the inside unit the cheaper it is). For a ducted system you should expect to pay around $5000 to $7500 for an average house with six outlets
Free Standing wood heaters
Slow combustion heaters are more efficient than open fires as well as being cleaner because most gases are burnt in the unit. They should comply with Australian standard AS4013 for pollution emissions. With high burning temperatures you get less ashes to clean up
Radiant models are ideal for small homes, radiating heat heat off the outside. Convection models draw air, then heat it and distribute it through the room. There are also models with fans that distribute hot ait further and faster which makes them a great choice for open plan house and those that have high ceilings.
Prices Will start at about $850 for radiant models, $1100 for convection and $1200 for fan forced.
Underfloor heating
This type of system is not that common in Australia but is worth considering. Electrical elements are laid in a concrete slab or tile screed, or mat-type electric elements can be encased in an adhesive bed under suspended floors.
Also available are radiant floor coils through which heated water flows.
Price - Average costs are around $40 -$50 per square metre installed for electric elements in slab or tile screed, from $50 to $65 per square metre for under timber floors, for mat type elements expect to pay around $65 to $85 per square metre and around $40 per square metre for the water type (does not include the electrical connection)
Ducted heating systems
These are gas powered systems that have a heating unit in the roof, outside or under the floor that channels hot air throughout the house via vents in the floor or ceilings.
This type of system can be zoned so that certain areas can be heated when whole house heating isn't necessary.
Prices - You should expect to pay around $ 4500 to $5500 installed for an average home with five to eight outlets.
Hydronic
Hot water from a gas-powered boiler is circulated throughout the home to wall mounted radiator panels which work by convection, without fan forcing.
Prices - This system will cost around $7500 for a 20 square home (185 square metres) or about $1500 per outlet. (electric boilers are about $10 000).
Ceiling heating
This system comprises thin electrical elements encased in a plastic in a plastic sheeting are sandwiched between the ceiling and a layer of insulation. Can be laid in a pitched roof or under a flat ceiling with a false ceiling under.
Prices - Expect to pay about $50 to $60 per square metre
Off peak storage heaters
These work by having electric heaters that charge overnight at off peak rates. Fiolite bricks inside heating wall units retain heat and disperse it throughout the day.
PricesThe average size of a large unit is 120 x 80 x 25cm and costs about $2750 with running costs of about $1.60 per day. Smaller units are $ 1400 installed and cost about 85 cents per day to run.
Flued space heaters
These are gas heaters that are vented to the outside and are available in fire-effect versions which are sealed with glass, combining the efficiency of a space heater with the convenience of gas and look of a wood fire.
Prices - will start at about $850 for regular models and $2000 for log effect.
Unflued space heaters
These can be either electric or gas heaters that can be moved from room to room. The gas models should only be used in well ventilated rooms, especially where bedrooms are concerned as they draw oxygen out of the air. You will need a gas outlet and power point and the electric models tend to be expensive to run.
Prices - will start at about $300
Insulation
Insulation is often overlooked when it comes to both heating and cooling your home but it can be the one of the most important things that you can do to help your home be comfortable all year round.
It works by reducing heat loss by trapping air in and around the fibres to stop heat transfer. By insulating walls, ceilings and under the floor you can save up to 60 percent of heating costs. You should look for an R-rating which indicates the thermal value.
The higher the rating the more efficient the material - R 2.5 is most commonly used for much of Australia, with R3 used in colder and hotter climates. It comes available in batts or rolls to be cut to size.
Prices
Tips
There are things that you can do to help heat your home more efficiently and help yourself to save some money at the same time. Remember to close doors to some areas to help heat less area. You can also lose up to 15 percent of heat through windows, so make sure you use curtains with pelmets to keep the heat in and draw them at night.
You can seal around your windows and doors with draught-proofing tape from your hardware store. Most importantly don't have the house so hot in winter that you have to wear shorts and t-shirts. It is cheaper to wear a jumper and jeans and to have the temperature inside a little cooler.
The Energy Information Centre of Australia (131 525) can supply information on appliance efficiency and average costs for
all kinds of heating.
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