The Best Heating Options for Your Home

It comes every year. Yet every year, it seems to take us by surprise.

When winter blows in, we seem shocked by the increase in our home’s energy costs. To mitigate those increases as best as possible, you need to have an efficient heating system in place. Here are the best heating options when it comes to keeping you and your family warm this winter:

#1) Heat Pumps

Heat pumps are the best option when it comes to heating a home in New Zealand. Although it’s one of the more expensive heating options to install, heat pumps provide the lowest running costs. Because they provide 3.5 – 4.5 kilowatts of energy for every kilowatt of energy they draw in, heat pumps are also the most energy efficient heating option.

Heat pumps are easy to operate – simply use the thermostat and timer to control the temperature. However, they must be sized correctly to work efficiently and won’t work during a power outage.

#2) Modern Woodburners

When they’re well operated, modern wood burners provide an energy efficient, inexpensive, environmentally friendly way to heat your home. Handy during a power outage, wood burners use one of the country’s most renewable forms of energy.

Extra caution needs to be taken when operating this form of heater to avoid harmful carbon monoxide – in addition to possible burns.

#3) Central Heating

The expensive upfront costs prevent many Kiwis from enjoying central heating’s cost and energy efficiencies.

There are three central heating options to consider: ducted heat pumps and ducted gas units, ducted gas furnaces and central heating with radiators, each with their own advantages.

Central heating’s temperature can be adjusted at the touch of a thermostat and even zone-controlled so that certain areas of your home are set at different temperatures.

#4) Flued Gas Heaters and Fireplaces

More efficient than electricity is gas heating, a convenient way to heat large spaces.

Although flued gas heaters and fireplaces use the convenience of thermostats and timers to control temperature, there is a fixed charge for reticulated gas supply. Plus, their greenhouse gas emissions contribute to climate change.

#5) Electric Heaters

Although expensive to use, electric heaters are affordable to purchase. Their ability to easily plug into the wall makes them convenient for rooms that are infrequently used or for small spaces. Other than unflued gas heaters, electric heaters are the most expensive type of heater to use when heating your home.

Insulate First Before Heating

There’s no sense in investing in a better heating option if your home is still not properly insulated! Begin by insulation your home’s ceiling and underfloor and then proceed to its walls. The right insulation can make your home cheaper, healthier and more comfortable to live in.

Check out Warmer Kiwi Homes, a grant program that provides funding for insulation and heaters for eligible Kiwis.

When shopping around for a more energy efficient heating option, be sure to shop around for energy prices, too!