The third most efficient heating systems for homes are residential boilers. Boilers are less common in residential settings than heat pumps or furnaces. However, a boiler can still provide a good option for home heating.
They work by producing hot water, which is then circulated through pipes and radiators inside your home. Boilers are also rated by AFUE numbers. You can find high-efficiency boilers with AFUE ratings of 90 percent or higher. Condensing boilers are even higher-efficiency models that can reach AFUE ratings of up to 95 percent. They use a second heat exchanger to extract heat from the exhaust gases before the gases are vented outdoors. Even after buying the most efficient heating system available within your budget, you can still improve indoor comfort and equipment performance by tending to external factors that can improve HVAC efficiency.
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Finding the Most Efficient Heating System: Heat Pumps For homeowners seeking the most efficient heating system available, heat pumps are the best candidate. There are two main types of heat pumps available: air-source and geothermal. Air-Source Heat Pumps Air-source heat pumps capture heat from and release heat into the air surrounding the equipment.
Geothermal Heat Pumps Geothermal systems work similarly, except they use the soil outside your home or a nearby body of water as the source of heat capture and release. Finding the Most Efficient Heating System: Furnaces The second most efficient heating system is a residential furnace. The three most common types of furnaces are: Gas: Gas furnaces use natural gas, a plentiful natural resource.
The majority of furnaces in operation are natural gas models. A natural gas furnace may actually cost less to operate than an air-source heat pump, even though its heating efficiency is much lower. Oil: Oil furnaces burn fuel oil to produce heat.
The oil is typically provided by a local supplier who delivers the fuel in bulk and stores it in a tank in or near your home.
Heating oil and propane, another type of furnace fuel, are both relatively expensive. The kit uses ductwork and an in-line fan to shift heated air into other parts of the home.
If you have access to a good quality, reasonably priced, supply of fire-wood and operate the heater properly, it can be one of the lowest cost options for heating large areas.
However, smoke from wood heaters is a source of air pollution, and excess smoke can be a nuisance to neighbours and impact their health. You are required to ensure that wood smoke does not cause problems for your neighbours, and local councils have the power to enforce this.
Buying the right sized heater is important. A model that is far too large for the area it is heating will have to be turned down which reduces efficiency, creates smoke and fouls the flue with creosote. Ask the supplier or retailer about the rated heat output of the heater in kilowatts kW. As a rule of thumb, the heater size should be around one-tenth of the floor area to be heated in square metres. So a square metre area would require a heater with an output of around 15kW.
Look for models made to Australian Standard AS These are designed to provide efficient heating with little pollution when used correctly. Heaters made to this standard will show the certification on their label.
You should check with your local council before having a slow combustion wood heater installed, as there may be restrictions in place. Use good quality, well cured, wood and operate the heater properly for it to operate efficiently and minimise the production of smoke. Have the flue of your heater cleaned regularly to prevent the build-up of creosote. Check how much wood fire heating could cost to run.
Skip to main navigation Skip to main content Skip to footer. Back to Reduce heating costs at home. Choose the right heating system for your home Last updated: 5 September Share Print. On this page Jump to. Find a system that's right for you Fuel available to you Heating systems can generate heat with: gas natural or LPG electricity wood. Choosing one depends on what fuel is available to you. How much space you need to heat There are two types of heating systems: central heating room or space heating.
Common central heating options Gas ducted heating Gas ducted heating draws air from inside the home, heats it in a gas furnace and blows it through ducts to outlets located in different areas of your home. Pros Can heat your home quickly. In some cases, separate zones can be controlled by different thermostats. Cons The air circulation fans consume a fair bit of electricity. Usually operated on natural gas, but will cost more if run on LPG.
More expensive than a gas space heater to install and operate. Buying new If you have a builder, ask what energy star rating the gas ducted system is.
Energy rating Gas ducted heaters have Gas Energy Rating labels to allow you to compare the energy efficiency of different heaters. Gas hydronic heating Gas fired hydronic systems heat the whole house by heating water in a gas boiler and circulating it through one of the following: radiators most common pipes embedded in a concrete slab fan-coil units. The water then returns to the gas boiler to be re-heated. The system is controlled by a thermostat monitoring the temperature of the room.
Radiator and in-slab systems are a quiet heating source. Cons Takes longer to heat spaces than air-based central heating systems, like gas ducted or ducted reverse-cycle systems. More expensive to install because of the cost of pipework and radiator panels. Buying new There are some energy losses from the pipework when the heating is operating. Energy rating There are no energy rating labels for gas hydronic heating in Australia.
Electric ducted reverse cycle air conditioning This system provides whole house heating and cooling through one set of ducts, usually located in the roof space. The indoor air temperature is controlled by a thermostat. Pros One unit provides heating and cooling. Most efficient form of electric heating. Most systems allow the home can be split into several zones.
You may need to have three-phase power for larger systems, as they can have a high electricity consumption. This will increase the installation cost. Buying new When buying a new system, you have the choice between two types of compressors: Standard compressor, which switches on and off based on the thermostat control. Variable-speed compressor also known as an inverter , which are much quieter and more efficient. The compressor runs at a lower speed when the room has been brought up to temperature.
There are some energy losses through the ductwork when the air conditioning is operating. Energy rating From April , new ducted reverse-cycle air conditioners with a cooling capacity less than 30kW will be required to have a Zoned Energy Rating. Electric multi-split reverse-cycle This system has one outdoor unit that pulls heat from the outside air and transfers it to multiple indoor outlets or heads in different parts of the home through refrigeration piping.
Depending on how much space you want to heat, outlets can be operated: all at once one at a time several at a time. Air temperature is controlled by a thermostat. Pros Most efficient electric heating.
Can be zoned so you only heat areas you use. One unit provides heating and cooling. Less heat losses than ducted systems. Cons The system compressor, which is located outside, may be noisy, this can impact your neighbours. Council may have noise level regulations. Significant purchase and installation costs. You may need to have three-phase power for larger systems, as they can have high electricity consumption.
This will add to the installation cost. Buying new Talk to your supplier or retailer about what size system would work best to heat your home. Energy rating From April , new multi-split reverse-cycle air conditioners with a cooling capacity less than 30kW will be required to have a Zoned Energy Rating. Electric in-slab heating Electric heating cables are laid in the concrete slab when the house is built. Pros Runs on cheaper, off-peak electricity rates. Heats evenly which provides a very comfortable heat.
Can be zoned so you only heat areas you need. Cons Not very efficient. Uses a lot of energy. High greenhouse gas emitter. Not very responsive. Buying new This system is laid in the concrete slab when building a house. Insulate the edge of the concrete slab to reduce heat losses. Energy rating There are no Energy Rating Labels for in-slab electric heaters. Use it efficiently Set the thermostat to a lower temperature than you would normally use for systems that heat the air.
Common room heating options Gas room heating Gas room heaters are often fixed and designed to heat a single room or open plan area by burning natural gas or LPG.
Gas heaters can be a low cost way of heating living areas, as long as the heater is: efficient run on natural gas especially if you use natural gas for heating water and cooking.
There are two types: convection gas heaters just heat the air and blow it into the room radiant-convection gas heaters use a combination of radiated heat and heated air less common. Pros Can be economical to run. Heats only the areas being used. Cons Unflued gas heaters require specific installation conditions. They cannot be installed as a new heater, and only used as a replacement in some circumstances.
Open flued and unflued gas heaters must be used with adequate ventilation to ensure safe operation. In Victoria, unflued gas heaters can only be installed where replacing existing unflued LPG heaters and no natural gas is available. Buying new If you have high ceilings consider one of the following: radiant-convection heater, which works best when people are located directly in front of the heater convection heater with reversible ceiling fans to distribute the heat more effectively.
Gas heaters can either be flued or unflued. Unflued gas heaters produce a lot of water vapour which can cause condensation and mould. However if you have an existing unflued LPG heater, you can replace it with an unflued gas heater, as long as it meets these requirements: nitrous oxide emissions less than 2. The main types of heaters include electric heaters, gas heaters and reverse-cycle air conditioners. The best option for you depends on a few factors.
Let's take a look at each type. These are usually portable, cheaper to buy, and a good option if you're not using them in large spaces or for long periods. Check our electric heater buying guide for more details, and also take a look at our electric fireplace heater buying guide. A gas heater can be very efficient and good value for money, and some people prefer the feel of gas heating over electric heaters and air conditioners.
Gas heaters can run from reticulated natural gas gas connected to your home or bottled LPG, but you need to make sure you have the right model for the type of gas you have available, as a heater designed for natural gas won't work with LPG, and vice versa.
Gas heating produces small amounts of waste products: these include carbon monoxide, which is dangerous, and water vapour, which can lead to condensation and mould problems. They also release nitrous dioxide and fine particles, which several studies have shown are a factor contributing to childhood asthma and other respiratory health problems.
Flued gas heaters and central ducted gas heating may be less likely to have this risk as they vent most of the waste outside, but they can still release a small amount of emissions into the indoor air, so the risk is not zero for these types either.
If you're going to leave a heater on all day, a gas heater may be cheaper to run than a portable electric heater, though probably not as cheap as a reverse-cycle air conditioner.
However, average national gas prices have risen in recent years and solar power is making electricity much cheaper in many homes. It's not a given that gas heating is always cheaper than using electricity; see the heating cost comparisons below.
Gas is a fossil fuel, a factor to consider if you're trying to go green. These are very effective for heating individual rooms and large spaces such as an open-plan living area. And they're much more economical than trying to heat the same space with portable electric heaters, because for every unit of electricity they consume, they can put out three or more units of heat, due to the heat pump technology they use.
The downside of a reverse-cycle air conditioner is that it's more expensive to buy and install than a portable electric heater. Check our air conditioner buying guide for more details. The costs below are based on using the heater in a moderate climate, for six hours a day over 12 weeks in winter.
They're indicative costs only; your costs will depend on your home, your local climate and the prices you pay for electricity and gas. For example, for a home with its own solar panel system , running an electric heater or air conditioner in daytime can be significantly cheaper than running a gas heater. Make your home as thermally efficient as you can to keep the heat inside in winter and outside in summer.
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