What types of heating exist?

• Cheap to buy and install
• Instant heat
• 100% efficient i.e. all the energy is converted into heat
• A clean form of heating
• No extra labour (shopping for gas refills, chopping wood etc).
• With a thermostat the temperature can be controlled accurately 
• Many have timers

• More exposure to fluctuating electricity prices
• Fan heaters may create excessive air movement

• Day time warmth at night time prices
• A clean form of heating

• Considered 80% efficient because sometimes they waste energy by providing heating when it is not required.
• Provides heat during the day only with little heat left for evenings
• They don't emit heat at night
• Higher purchase and installation cost than regular plug-in heaters
• You must decide the night before whether you want heat the next day

• Can heat a large area
• Cheap to run for those with access to free firewood
• Provide 'atmosphere'
• A wetback can be fitted to heat water (although this reduces the warmth available for space heating and/or uses more wood than conventional woodburner)
• No need for reliable power source (power cuts)
• Some models can be used for cooking

• Smoke produced pollutes the air
• Extra work stacking, chopping and transporting wood and removing ashes
• It is more difficult to control the heat output of a logburner than a gas or electric heater, which means that you may use more energy than you actually need
• Not instant heat, more work getting it going
• Hard to provide small amount of heat
• Needs a building permit from your local council and sometimes a resource consent from the regional council

• More energy efficient than logburners
• Burns cleaner than logburners, resulting in better indoor and outdoor air-quality
• Less preparation of fuel and cleaning involved
• Greater control of temperature
• Can still heat a medium/large area effectively
• Has ambience of a 'real' fire
• A wetback can be fitted to some models

• Requires handling and storage of 20kg pellet bags
• Some clearing (of ashes) involved
• Reliant on a limited number of manufacturers for the fuel source.
• Require electricity to run - emergency generator/battery pack required for emergencies
• Operation produces some noise

• Clean source of heating.
• Even with a fan, they are considered suitable for most people with asthma as heat pumps filter the air.
• Does not becomes hot
• Easy to operate, requires switching on button only
• Low running cost
• Can be used in reverse as an air conditioner to keep inside air cool in summer but not with the same efficiency as the heatng.

• Expensive to purchase and install.
• Depending on model, efficiency drops when outside temperature is very low.

Clean form of heating

Some can support a wetback system

They give a high heat output

Cheaper to run than gas or electricity 

Expensive to purchase and install

Exposed to variable price of diesel

Heats whole house

Can provide hot water

Heat controlled thermostatically and by a timer

Can adjust temperature/ turn off heat in unused area of the house

Very expensive to install

Diesel tanks require a permit

Fuel access - transported via diesel tanker or in 45kg gas canisters, may be a problem in some areas

Ground source heat pumps require a large area of ground to be dug up for pipe installation.

High heat output 

Instant heat

Clean heat.

The level of heat can be controlled more easily than with a log-burner.

Don't create dampness and health problems like portable gas heaters.

Gas bottle re-fills are paid for up-front rather than getting an electricity bill at the end of the month.

More expensive to install than electric heaters.

Cost of the gas bottle rental.