Not sure what kind of heating you want to use in your home? Each type of heater has its own benefits, for example, natural gas heaters are very economical, but electric reverse cycle air conditioners offer both heating and cooling in the one unit. It’s really up to you to decide which kind of heating option will best suit your needs. Read on and find out more.
Gas Ducted Heating
The way gas ducted heating works is by taking air that is in the home and using a gas furnace to warm it up, then pushing the hot air through ducts and venting that are located around your home. The system uses a thermostat to alter the interior temperature. There are various benefits to gas ducted heating, including the fact that it works quickly and can use a zone system to only heat areas of the home that are in active use, and sometimes these zones can have their own thermostats. On the flipside, the air circulation fans are power hungry, making gas ducted heating more expensive than running LPG gas heaters.
Gas Hydronic Heating
All gas hydronic systems heat water in a gas boiler, and then pass this water through either radiators, pipes in a concrete slab, or fan coil units. The water then goes back to the boiler to reheat. A thermostat keeps tabs on the temperature of the room. The advantages of gas hydronic heating include the fact that it doesn’t blow air around, so they are better for allergy sufferers, plus the heat they provide is not so drying. They can also be zoned according to home use, and they are generally a quiet heat source if using a concrete slab or radiator system. Conversely, they can take longer to heat up a room, and they can be costly to install.
Electric Reverse Cycle Air Conditioners
These units heat and cool a single room, and are available as split systems or window-wall mounted units. Split systems are so called because they have an outdoor and an indoor unit. The outdoor unit obtains heat from the outside air, transferring it to the inside unit, putting the air through a heat exchanger and using a fan to blow the air outwards into the room. The heat pump technology in these systems makes them the most efficient form of electrical heating. It is very beneficial that one unit can provide both heating and cooling to a room, along with the fact that these systems are very economical.
Natural Gas Heaters
Natural gas heaters are usually fixed in a certain location, from where they heat a single room or over plan space. LPG gas heaters are a cost-effective way of heating living areas, and can be in the form of a wall heater or even a gas fireplace in Melbourne. To find out the efficiency of a gas heater, you should look for the efficiency star rating that relates to appliances in Australia. As natural gas heaters only heat the area being used, it means less wastage of energy and money. Also, a gas fireplace in Melbourne can offer the ambience of a wood fireplace but without the clean-up after every use. Be wary of unflued natural gas heaters that require extra ventilation for safe operation.
Open Wood Fires
There is simply nothing more mesmerising than an open fire. If your home isn’t old enough to come with a fireplace, there are various options still available to you which involve installing a new fireplace. There are options that have a minimalist look, as well as more traditional freestanding options. When you install a wood fireplace, you can increase the value of your home because there is nothing like an open fire to create a great atmosphere in a living room.
