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Heating

Efficient heating means you can warm your home to healthy levels. What type of heating is right for your home depends on many factors and your personal preference. Below you may find some information to make informed decisions on heating.

 

Heating is only half the story of keeping warm though. If you want to heat your home at an affordable cost, good insulation is key.

 


 

What factors should you consider when buying heating?

There are many factors to consider when buying a heater.

Safety

  • Electric convection heaters (e.g. fan or oil column heaters) are safer than radiant heaters (e.g. bar heaters) as the heat is not so intense.
  • With portable heaters ensure that it does not tip over easily, or has a cut-out switch (heater switches off immediately when tipped over).
  • Solid fuel heaters need a fireguard with children, for gas heaters a fireguard is recommended with children.
  • Heat pumps do not become dangerously hot and cannot tip over and are especially suitable for older people and families with young children.

 

Health

  • Fans may trigger asthma attacks by stirring up dust.
  • Old portable gas heaters can give off toxic fumes.

 

Noise

  • Heaters with a fan may be noisy (plug-in heaters, heat pumps, pellet fires). However the noise levels differ greatly between appliance types and models.
  • Convection heaters creak and click.

 

Radiant or convection heat

  • A radiant electric heater (e.g. bar heater) is good for heating a small area in a large room or a quick burst over a short period. Disadvantages are the exposed element hazard and uneven heat zones.
  • A convection heater (e.g. fan or oil column) heats air currents and provides background heat. It is slower to heat up a room but can be used with a thermostat.

 

Ease of operation

  • Check that the heater controls are accessible and it is clear how to use them.
  • Woodburners require more work in carting and chopping wood
  • Some woodburners require very small pieces of wood, smaller than usually delivered

 

Fuel storage

  • Log burners require a covered but ventilated space for wood to be stacked and dried (not a garage).
  • Flued gas heaters require a space for gas bottles.
  • Heat pumps require a space for the outside unit, preferably at the north side of the house.
  • Diesel heaters need space for a diesel storage tank.

 

Servicing and maintenance

  • Consider parts availability.
  • Is there a guarantee or warranty?
  • What maintenance is required, how often and at what cost? Can you do it yourself?
  • A woodburner needs to have the flue cleaned yearly.
  • A flued gas heater needs to be checked yearly by a gas specialist for safety reasons.

Ease of Installation

  • If a wetback is required, is the fire near the hot water cylinder?
  • Is there space for the flue?
  • Woodburners and pellet fires require space for a hearth.
  • Will the heater fit comfortably into the room?

 

Portable or fixed?

  • Do you need a heater that can be moved from room to room, or is a fixed heater appropriate?

 

Independence from electricity

  • Do you need or want to be independent from electricity? Power cuts are usually quickly restored in the larger centres but if you are living a remote rural area this can be an issue.
  • Some gas and diesel heaters and most pellet fires require electricity for ignition or a small fan.

 

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How can you size a heater?

The easiest way to get the right size heater for you, is to contact Community Energy Action for a free and obligation-free quote for subsidised heating. The expert heating assessors from our partners Nova Systems (heat pumps) and Placemakers (other appliances) can advise you on heating and answer all your questions.

 

Undersized and oversized heaters

A heater that is undersized may be cheaper to buy but will not heat your room or house adequately or may not achieve the typical efficiencies expected of the appliance (heat pumps), increasing running costs. A heater than is oversized will cost you more in purchase and installation while you do not need the amount of heat output possible.

 

Heating the whole house

Without a heat distribution system, most heaters will struggle to heat a whole house evenly. If you wish to heat the whole house, you usually need multiple appliances. Some heat pump models can fit multiple indoor units on one outdoor unit. Extra indoor units can be added at a later stage.

 

Capacity estimate

A rule of thumb calculation to get an idea of the size of the heater you require for one room (Christchurch conditions) is:

 

1. multiply the width X height X length (in metres) to get the volume of the room in cubic metres (m3)

2. multiply this volume by 50 to get the heating requirement in watts (W)


example:

A room has a 3m stud, and is 4m wide and 5m long. The volume is 3x4x5=60m3. Heating requirement is: 60 X 50 = 3000W. Therefore a 3kW heater is needed (1000W=1kW).

 

Please note: 

  • If the room is uninsulated, draughty, or has a large area of external wall or large windows, it will require a larger heater (up to 20% more).
  • If it is well insulated with ceiling, wall, floor and window insulation, it should require a smaller heater (up to 25% less).

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Using heaters efficiently

All heaters

Use timers and thermostats to control heating. Some heaters have these built in but you can also buy them separately. Heat the area you need, keep doors closed to maintain heat in ‘living areas'. Turn heaters off when they are not being used, this includes oil column (fin) heaters and heat pumps.

 

Heat pumps

Having electric heaters running, even on low, when they are not required is wasting energy. Only use heaters when required. It usually requires more energy to keep a room at a constant heated temperature than to heat it only when you are in the room. You can use timers on most heat pumps to pre-heat the room just before you need it.

 

Wood burners

In general, wood cut to a maximum thickness of 10-15cm should be used-this size provides more surface area for burning, giving greater efficiency. Only burn dry wood. Burning wet wood is inefficient; it reduces heat output and can cause smoke pollution.


To check if wood is dry, strike two pieces together. Dry wood gives a sharp, crack sound, wet wood makes a dull thud. Also, if the ends of a log are cracked, it is likely to be dry.


Never burn rubbish, plastics or chemically treated, driftwood, or laminated and painted wood. Burning such material can release toxic chemicals that are harmful and can corrode your burner. 

 

Unflued gas heaters

Community Energy Action does not recommend unflued portable gas heaters in any circumstance.

Find out why »

 

More about the (dis)advantages of different types of heating...

 

More about the costs of different types of heating...

 

More about insulation...

 

More about other home energy issues...

 

If you have any more questions about heating your home, contact our Advice Service.

 

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