So you need to heat things up a bit this winter? Here are the main ways to ensure there’s a warm and welcoming place to call home.
In this Article:
- Portable heaters
- Panel heaters
- Reverse air
- Hydronic heating
Australians are well known winter-deniers. Ask anyone in Sydney about home heating and they’ll likely scoff that winter only lasts a few weeks, ergo there’s no point in it. (Then they spend three months under a doona.) Those further south know the truth about the colder months, and that is you’ll be a lot more comfortable with a more permanent heating arrangement. The type of heating system you choose will depend on several factors including the size and layout of your home, and your budget. Here’s a handy overview of the main players on the home heating stage.
Portable heaters
If your home isn’t fitted with permanent central or single-unit heating, portable warmth is a winter essential. One advantage of portable systems is that you can close the doors and just choose to heat the room you’re sitting or sleeping in. Gas heaters are cheaper to run and more energy efficient but a) you need a gas supply and b) they generally need to be vented outside the home, so not so portable after all. Electric heaters are popular because they come in all shapes and sizes, they don’t need venting and all you need is a power supply.
Room heaters AKA panel heaters
These types of heaters are cost efficient to run as they switch on and off to keep the room at a stable temperature. There are three main types: oil filled column heaters, convection heaters and micathermic panel heaters.
Convection panel heaters work by drawing cold air over an electric heating element. The warmed air then leaves the heater and rises towards the ceiling, as cooler air moves in to replace it. Some heaters also have a fan to help heat up the room quickly and evenly. Panel heaters are generally thinner, less obtrusive and can usually be wall mounted. Micathermic panel heaters have panels of the mineral mica around the heating element, which absorbs the heat and radiates it even more efficiently.
“Architectural digs have uncovered rudimentary systems for hot smoke to heat stone floors dating back to 5000BC.”
Underfloor heating
This is not a new idea. Architectural digs have uncovered rudimentary systems for hot smoke to heat stone floors dating back to 5000BC. Nowadays it’s generally done with electric wiring (or sometimes water pipes) set into a concrete slab. Once the temperature rises above the temperature of the air, the heat is spread evenly across the surface of the floor. It involves some serious construction and is therefore not a popular retrofitting option due to the disruption and associated cost.
Split system heating
Reverse cycle air con can be installed in either independent back-to-back units or in a ducted system that runs off a compressor (usually installed outside or in the ceiling space) into outlets in the rooms you want to heat or cool. It’s an efficient way to heat, but it’s not cheap and best done as part of a renovation.
Hydronic heating system
This is what anyone who’s lived in the UK will know as ‘central heating’. It basically works by heating water and piping it throughout the house into radiators, then returning it back to the boiler to be reheated and used again. The advantage is you can switch radiators on and off and heat each area of the house individually. It’s a low maintenance and quick (though not instant) way of heating. On the downside, set up costs run into the several thousands.
