So, which is your preferred heating source? Radiant or Convective heat? And which is best for your new home? Let us explain.

When it comes to Home Heating, there are two broad types of Heating.

1. Radiant:

The sun is the best example and it’s free. Your body soaks up its radiant heat even on a cold day.

Others include Fireplace, Underfloor Heating and many more.

When you walk into a home with Radiant Heat, you instantly feel warmer.

2. Convective:
With Convection you heat a room, but until the whole room is up to temperature you’re not going to be warm. Examples include; heatpumps, oil column heaters and more.

Much of the decision is going to boil down to Budget, your Expectation, and whether the new home is for the Short, Medium or Long Term.

Underfloor Heating:

The ultimate is Underfloor Heating. Water is heated (usually by an air to water heatpump) and circulated through pipes in your concrete floor. Once you’ve lived in a home with true “Central Heating” you’d never go back to any other source. A Typical 3-4 bedroom home investment starts around $20,000.

Fireplaces & Wood Burners:

Wood Burners are a very cost effective radiant heat source. Yes, you can have a wood burner fireplace in Christchurch, but YES it must be an approved ULEB (very efficient). Typically, the installed cost of a wood burner starts from $4500, or for ULEB installed from about $7000.)

Heatpumps:

For effective heating at a relatively low investment, Heatpumps provide an excellent solution. Installed, they start around $2500. There are wall mounted and floor mounted models.

While Heatpumps are most efficient in heating mode, they’re also a summer solution for those hot days.

If your home requires more than 2 heatpumps, then seriously consider a Ducted Heatpump System. The main unit sits hidden away in the ceiling cavity and ducts take the warm (or cold air) to each room of your home – a total home solution. A simple ducted system will start around $10,000.

This article completes our 3-part series on building a quality, healthy and energy efficient home, wherein we’ve talked about the importance of including the following 3 elements:

1. INSULATION – A WARM HEALTHY ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME

2. VENTILATION – THE SOLUTION TO A HEALTHY HOME

3. HEATING – TAKING THE CONFUSION OUT OF HEATING YOUR HOME

The synergy of incorporating the right design techniques, building materials and the correct positioning/orientation of your home will ensure that your choice of Heating achieves what all new home owners desire in winter – an ambient, cosy liveable home.

Ask the Hallmark Homes team for guidance on “what is right for your new home.” You don’t have to be cold and it needn’t cost a fortune. Let’s tailor a solution that works for you.

Image credits:

Mitsubishi Heat Pumps http://www.mitsubishi-electric.co.nz