KEY POINTS:
We've had a long, hot summer - but now there is a chill in the air, particularly at night. Winter is approaching and it's time to consider how we will keep warm, dry and well during the cold months.
If you found that your heating last year was especially costly or ineffective, the problem may be with the house, rather than the heating you've chosen. Also, if you're thinking of installing fancy new heating equipment - it may be a good idea to give your house a health check first to make sure there are no unnecessary draughts or damp.
CHECK YOUR HOUSE
To have your house checked out, you don't have to have panels taken out, or carpets raised. Think in terms of a doctor sending you for an X-ray to see what your problem is. He is hardly going to operate before he has done that and knows where the problem area is. Leakscan, Thermal Imaging Specialists, do just that - they X-Ray your house with special cameras.
"We can tell if there's insulation missing, where there are leaks or damp and more without ripping the place apart. It's non-invasive," says director of Leakscan John Lineham. "Heat loss through bad insulation can be huge. If you've got the heater going, you'll be using a lot of extra energy as of course heat rises and disappears."
Leakscan does energy audits - checking for thermal bridges (drafts) through windows and doors, insulation and also checks for leaky home problems. All this is done through taking photographs with specialised equipment. "We find the areas that need sorting."
"Think in terms of a fridge - if the door has a good seal, the fridge holds in the coolness and the fridge doesn't have to run all the time. With a broken seal the opposite is true - much more electricity is used up," Lineham says.
He points out that besides heat, people should be aware of mould in their homes. "Mould makes you sick. There's plenty of 'unexplained' asthma in this country. The fact is that mould spores become airborn and when they get into your lungs they grow. This can be really dangerous. He says a particular area to check out is matresses.
"There are big health issues here. Dampness, mould and bad insulation are serious. People don't realise that bacteria can kill. Also, one of the affects of it is people lose energy, they feel tired and unmotivated - they don't realise it's because of what's in their home."
The cost of a health check to your home starts from $500, depending on size and time needed to do the job.
Once you've sorted out any insulation problems, mould and damp, it's time to really look at how to keep warm. There are a number of different heating technologies on offer out there - often the choice comes down to personal taste and needs.
WOODFIRES
Often when people think of woodfires they think of pollution and smoke. Not so, says, Brendon Massey, sales and marketing manager, Glen Dimplex Australasia. "Modern clean burning, wood fires are an environmentally friendly form of heating - they emit low levels of particulates when burned correctly and they are carbon neutral."
Andrew Kidd, Business Development Manager of BBQ Factory, says woodfires are straight forward to install. "If people come in to us with a sketch, we can advise on a suitable location."
He says the advantages of woodfires are that they are not reliant on power, they provide a nice, dry heat and are environmentally friendly. "Most firewood is waste wood and it is renewable, unlike gas or coal," he says.
"Also, there's nothing like seeing a real flame - it adds to the home."
Installation costs between $400 to $600, he says, and units cost from $1600 upwards. "It does become cost effective in time."
Massey says, "When correctly specced, they can be an effective house heating solution (not just a room heating solution). Some fires provide water heating and cooking option as well."
Massey says the disadvantages of woodfires are: The time it takes to chop and source wood, the need to store the wood and keep it dry, and there can be restrictions on where a wood fire can be installed due to flueing constraints.
GAS
Gas has a bad name because of non-flued gas heaters, acknowledges Paul Smith, owner of North City Heating. These can cause more dampness and high levels of condensation in the house.
But flued gas heating stacks up well health-wise, he says. It's also good energy-wise. "We're not running out of gas and using gas saves electricity. Some systems also provide water heating. It's a very viable choice."
He points out that gas heats a house quickly. He says using gas is even cheaper than buying wood and creates far less fuss.
Smith says many people don't realise they have gas access in their street. "We have a full mapping system, so we know where gas is."
Installation costs are comparable to woodfires.
Brendon Massey, Sales & Marketing Manager, Glen Dimplex Australasia, says Good gas fires generally have a good flame picture and realistic flame effect. "Gas is a convenient consumer option - push button convenience with no mess and no fuss."
He says the disadvantages are: Gas fires appliances are more expensive to buy than some other heating appliances; they can be more expensive to operate than some other forms of heating, especially those running on LPG."
He says there can be restrictions on where a gas fire can be installed due to flueing constraints and many fires will not work without power.
OTHER FIRES:
Massey says advantages of pellet fires are they are an environmentally friendly form of heating as they are low emission, efficient and carbon neutral; the fuel is clean and convenient to use, there's no wood cutting to be done, the materials are easily stored and no drying is required. They are generally a low-cost form of heating (pellet costs do vary regionally, but generally accepted as a fairly low cost form of heating). The disadvantages are that the fires will not work without power and some people find the fan noise distracting.
The advantages of diesel fires, according to Massey, are: They are convenient to use as there is no wood chopping to be done and they usually work without power. Disadvantages are that they require storage room for a tank and this form of heating is getting more expensive because of rising oil prices.
HEAT PUMPS
Heat Pumps are New Zealand's fastest growing winter heating solution, says Natasha Hailes, National Retail Sales Manager, Fujitsu General New Zealand. "They are much less expensive to run than other forms of heating, and are environmentally friendly. Plus they give you year round comfort - warm comfort in winter, and cooling and dehumidifying your home in the summer."
She says that by their very nature, heat pumps are one of the most efficient forms of heating available. "Different brands, however, also have different levels of efficiency - check to see the brand you are purchasing has the Energy Star logo, and the ratings from EECA."
In addition, she says, heat pumps have another advantage over electric or gas heaters, as they have no heating elements to burn energy.
Brendon Massey, Sales & Marketing Manager, Glen Dimplex Australasia, says the advantages of heat pumps are: it's no-fuss form of heating, it provides year round climate control with heating and cooling functions and it is very efficient - usually 300 per cent+ efficient at temperatures above 2 degrees.
The disadvantages, according to Massey are: Fan noise can be an irritation to some people, they don't work without power and power costs are rising, and costs can be higher than expected despite their efficiency if the unit is not well managed.
Hailes says Fujitsu's Hi-walls are priced from RRP $1699, with installation including electrical work starting from approximately $700.
CENTRAL HEATING
According to Complete Heating Solution's website, ducted central heating comprises a central heating unit, which is connected to a series of outlets positioned strategically throughout a home. "These outlets, or ducts, are installed either in the floor or ceiling," the website says.
The principle behind central heating is that: "The heating unit draws air from the inside of your house and into a return air grille. From here it then flows into the heater where it's warmed to temperature. Then pumped to every room of your home, via outlets, as a gentle breeze of warm air."
Michael Williams of Warm Air Distribution says central heating is suited to any residence where there is space to install the duct system. Pricing ranges quite widely according to house size, needs and wants, but begins at $5795 for a classic furnace in a 100 sq/m house.
According to RJ Perry, who has written an article on the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre site entitled Heating the Home, central heating provides good warmth, can be positively controlled and can be adapted for all fuels. The disadvantages are that it's expensive at first cost and is mainly applicable for larger buildings.
UNDER-FLOOR HEATING
According to the website of Sunflow, which specialises in under-floor heating among other things: "Convection home heating methods such as heaters or forced air systems are the least efficient means of heat transfer because only the air is heated, not the mass of the room. Remember hot air rises, so convection warmth is immediately snatched away upwards gathering at the ceiling, leaving cooler areas below where you are, just like the hot air balloon."
"Radiant heat is the most comfortable, efficient, healthy and cheapest to run of all the home heating options."
Sunflow says under-floor heating is: comfortable because unlike convection methods radiant floor heating systems conduct heat through the floor which is broadcast as heat energy waves to every object in the room, especially you; efficient because radiant heat is only felt when the energy wave strikes another surface, eliminating air currents and cold surfaces.; healthier because heated air isn't being forced to move through the home so less dust, mould and mites are distributed, helping keep allergies and other ailments to a minimum and cheaper because thermostatically controlled water temperature can be finely set to provide exactly the radiant heat energy required. Heatwell also specialises in under-floor heating.
According to the website Honeywell (http://content.honeywell.com/uk/homes), the advantages of under-floor heating are: Even distribution of heat across the room; easy to install requiring no special skills; unobtrusive; no restriction on the placement of furniture; quiet in use; very little maintenance is required; individual room temperature control; no risk of contact with hot surfaces and fabric temperature of building is maintained. Some disadvantages are: long heat up period, requires major disruption on existing buildings; long cooling down period; cannot respond rapidly to quick temperature changes; choice of floor finishing requires careful consideration and changes of floor finish may affect performance. This type of heating costs approximately $100 per square metre.
