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A comfortably warm home not only feels nice, it’s important for your wellbeing. The World Health Organisation suggests homes should be at least 18°C, or slightly higher for children, elderly folk or people with illnesses, as cold rooms can increase the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular issues¹. Follow our guide to get the best heating for your home.
Before investing in heating options, do an audit of your home and your needs: which rooms require better heating? Do you want an option that costs less to use, or something that’s cheaper to buy? Do you want the system to be smart? And is it important for heating to complement the decor of your home? Interior designer Shannon Pepper suggests a checklist. “If you’re building a new home or doing a big reno, you have more options because a lot of heating types are easier to install then,” she says. “Otherwise you can choose something you can retrofit, such as reverse-cycle airconditioners [heat pumps]. For smaller spaces that don’t need to be heated all the time, like bedrooms, plug-in electric heaters are a good choice.”
Some of the most common and efficient heating systems in Australia are reverse-cycle airconditioners, also known as air-source heat pumps. This technology works by absorbing warmth from the air outside and distributing it indoors while in heating mode, then absorbing heat from indoors and releasing it outside when it’s set to cooling mode.²
One of the main reasons for the popularity of reverse-cycle airconditioners is that their efficiency makes them so economical.
Standard plug-in electric heaters produce 1kW of heat for each kW of energy you buy. Reverse-cycle aircon can take one unit [1kW] of electrical energy and turn it into three to six times as much heating (or cooling), making it 300 per cent to 600 per cent efficient³. According to Choice, running a reverse-cycle airconditioner for the entire year will only cost a little more than running an electric heater for just three months over winter⁴.
Households are being encouraged to shift from gas to electric appliances, for health, economic and environmental reasons. When researching heating, check if you can access rebates or incentives to switch to electric models.
Electric heaters are usually portable and are designed to heat a single room or a small area of up to 20-30sqm for short periods of time. The initial cost is usually fairly low, but if they are used for long spells the bills can become expensive. There are a few different types to choose from.
Fan convection heaters heat the air and circulate it in the room. They are better for larger spaces but it can take a while for the room to warm up. Appliances with timers can start heating the space before you get up in the morning or return from work.
Radiant heaters generate a more direct heat, so they warm up surfaces rather than the air. Oil-filled column heaters and panel heaters have hot surfaces that heat the air directly. They don’t have a fan to circulate air, so take longer to heat a room. However, because they don’t blow air around they’re a better option for people who suffer from allergies⁵.
Your heater should provide adequate heat for the size of the room. For radiant heaters, one kilowatt (kW) is suitable for a 15sqm room; a 1.5kW one is needed for rooms that are 15-20sqm and a 2kW heater is best for 20-25sqm spaces⁶. As convection heaters heat the air, work out the best one for the size of your room in cubic metres (m3): multiply the length of the room by the width and the height. A 1kW convection heater is suitable for a 15m3 room, while you’ll need a 1.5kW heater for a 23m3 room, a 2kW one for a 31m3 space and a 2.4kW convection heater for a 39m3 room⁷.
Try to achieve a room temperature between 18°C and 20°C. Every degree higher can add around 10 per cent to your heating bill⁸.
Some people wouldn’t be without a woodburning fire – they create a wonderful ambience, heat large spaces, can be less expensive to run and may be particularly effective in cold regions. But before you buy, check your woodburner meets the relevant Australian standards. Local regulations about where and how wood heaters and chimneys can be installed also apply – check with your local council before installation.
Make sure your home doesn’t allow heat to easily escape. Good insulation is important, but also look at placing draught seals around doors and windows, and investing in well-lined curtains that drop from the pelmet to the floor, which can make a big difference. To maximise heating efficiency, close off the space you’re in so the heat stays where it is needed. Bedrooms often get overlooked, but keeping heat within sleeping areas is especially important as temperatures 16°C or less in winter months can cause health issues⁹. If your head is out of the doona and you’re breathing in cold air, it’s not good for you.
Install an exhaust fan with heater or heat lights for a warm bathroom with good air quality. A budget-friendly option is a discreet wall-mounted heater, but remember to run the exhaust fan or open a window after every shower to let steam escape. A heated towel rail is a delight in winter, warming and drying towels and the bathroom, but keep an eye on the electricity usage.
Decks, patios and courtyards can be warmed with purpose-built heaters for year round alfresco entertaining. Options include electric strip heaters, portable electric heaters and wall-mounted gas heaters. Shannon Pepper says many of her clients opt for strip heaters mounted under eaves or on a pergola. “They like to integrate them into the ceiling space where they’re not so obvious, and these devices can pump out a lot of warmth,” she says.
Sources:
¹WHO Housing and Health Guidelines, 2018.
²yourhome.gov.au/energy/heating-andcooling.
³energy.gov.au/households/heating-and-cooling.
⁴choice.com.au.
⁵Sustainability Victoria.
⁶ Sustainability Trust NZ.
⁷Sustainability Trust NZ.
⁸Sustainability Victoria.
⁹instituteofhealthequity.org.
*Wood heaters should be installed by a licensed professional to manufacturer’s specifications and complying with local council regulations.
Check out our range of electric heaters, from panel to oil column and more.
Photo Credit: Belinda Merrie, Gap Interiors/Bureaux
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.
