Many Kiwis, especially tenants, still rely on portable heaters which are not as efficient or effective as fixed heating systems. Photo/ file
Many Kiwis, especially tenants, still rely on portable heaters which are not as efficient or effective as fixed heating systems. Photo/ file
You don't have to buy the most expensive heater to keep cosy this winter - a $34 model does a pretty good job, a comparison shows.
The Herald on Sunday looked at a range of tests carried out by Consumer NZ to find the best woodburners, electric heaters and heat pumps in the country.
The independent watchdog tested a range of different heating options from a variety of brands to find the most efficient and cost effective heating systems.
Using a double-temperature controlled room, Consumer found which heating systems were the best according to a range of criteria, including how fast they heated a room and how evenly the heat spread.
A heater with a fan was the best way to warm a small living area quickly and evenly, Consumer found.
Its second top performer, the Dyson hot and cool AM09, cost more than $700 but for those without the better part of a grand to spend on heating, the Click CDL01D also made Consumer's top 10, and at about $34 was a major steal.
However, it did not have a fan or tilt switch.
The Goldair GCT250 was the third most effective heater, costing about $200 and coming equipped with a fan, timer and tilt switch.
For larger areas or open plan homes, heat pumps were a more efficient and cost effective form of heating, but it was important to choose the right one for the size of the area being heated, Consumer said.
They offered an online calculator for people to figure out how much heat output would be needed for differing spaces.
Single-split air-to-air models are the most common type of heat pump in New Zealand.
Two Daikin models, the FTXZ25NVIB and the FTXZ35NVIB, were Consumer's top performers.
They were found to give an overall top performance with excellent energy efficiency for their size.
Woodburners were another permanent option for home heating.
People living on a property smaller than 2 hectares need to install a woodburner which meets National Environmental Standards (NES).
Models meeting those standards were also known as clean air or urban models.
Most woodburners on Consumer's database were NES-compliant, meaning they have emissions of 1.5g/kg or lower and an efficiency of at least 65 per cent.
However, for people living in some parts the Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Nelson, Canterbury or Central Otago the rules about emissions can be much stricter.
The Tropicair Duo woodburner, which was allowed in even the most tightly restricted emissions zones, cost an average of $4725 plus installation and was Consumer's top performer.
It was excellent in its efficiency and emissions performance.
At a fraction of the price was the Metro ECO Tiny Ped, which cost an average of $1199 plus installation.
While the freestanding woodburner did not meet strict emission rules, its efficiency was still excellent, Consumer found.
Consumer has released a free online guide to home heating, which can be downloaded here.
Creating a warm, dry home in the colder months relied on a system combining insulation, ventilation, eliminating dampness and getting heat into the home, said Consumer NZ technical writer George Block.
When it came to the heating component, the best option was to have a fixed heating system, like a heat pump, central heating or wood burner.
He implored landlords to install fixed heating in their rentals, saying most tenants still relied on portable heaters which were less effective and more expensive to run.
"Insulation's all well and good but if there's no heat in the home what's the point."
Auckland council eco-design adviser Adrian Feasey said over winter it was all about keeping homes at the "magic number" of 18C.
Houses kept at or above 18C kept people healthier, reducing the chance of respiratory illness.
Proper insulation and good heat sources were important, but smaller measures, like lined curtains and putting a ground sheet down under the house could also help.
Lined curtains which reached all the way to the floor and closed off as much as possible at the top would stop heat escaping so readily, Feasey said.
Black polythene, available at any hardware store, could be laid over soil under houses houses where there was a gap and would stop moisture rising from the ground into the house.
Jason Bell, general manager merchandise for Noel Leeming, said dehumidifiers were the best-selling heating related product in the Auckland region.
"While technically not a heating product, dehumidifiers take away dampness in the room, making other heaters more efficient."
Heating products were often an impulse buy when the temperature dropped, he said.
"Price is definitely a key factor in the purchase decision. Interestingly, we have noticed growth in the mid-tier range this year, with oil column heaters in the $150-$250 range proving popular."
