Getting the system that is right for you

Ducted heating is a luxury that can make even the darkest, iciest and least survivable months easy to get through! On those frosty mornings when you get out of bed and cannot feel your toes, it is a blessing to have your heater turn on and warm your home before you even get out of bed!Modern ducted heaters are much more energy efficient than older models, giving a more pleasing consistent temperature, better control of your fan speed, and no need for a pilot light! Ducted heating is also a major investment in your home and one of the most efficient forms of heating.

Should I Buy Gas or Reverse Cycle Ducted Heating?

That depends on which of the below variables matter most to your home situation:

Benefits of ducted gas heating

• Gas ducted heating is the most energy efficient type of central heating system to run. They can also be cheaper and more effective to run than many space heaters. Installation is flexible, if there is not enough clearance under your floor, it can also be installed through the ceiling.

• Can be zoned so that you only need to heat the area of the home you are using. This is typically divided into a living zone, and a bedrooms zone, with a common zone joining the two.

• Programmable controllers allow the option for you to set the heater to turn on before you wake up, turn off as you leave your home and on again before returning, then finally switch off after bedtime. Alternatively, manual controls allow the simplicity of turning on or off as you require.

• Ducted gas heating is kinder to the environment, creating around a third of the greenhouse gases that reverse cycle systems do.

• Add-on refrigerated cooling is also available (also referred to as ‘dual cycle’), using the same ductwork system, however this must be chosen at the same time as you gas ducted heating system to allow for accommodation in the design.

Benefits of ducted reverse cycle heating

• Reverse cycle ducted heating and cooling is great for homes that do not have natural gas available or where the home doesn’t suit ducted gas heating.

• Perfect weather conditions inside your home all year round with the option to select from heating, cooling, dehumidify or fan only – all from the same ductwork, no need to install separate systems!

• Flexible control of which area of your home you would like to heat or cool allows you to also keep the running cost down and ensure the system is operating efficiently.

• Reverse cycle systems can dehumidify the air, providing a better quality of cooling in humid summers keeping the air cool and crisp.

• No need for bulky units inside your home, ceiling outlets are flush with your ceiling and allow you direct the airflow in the direction you need it.

How Many ducting outlets will I need?

The minimum number of outlets for a ducted gas heating system to operate effectively is six. An average home requires between 6 to 10 outlets, however larger homes can have as many as 16 outlets depending on the house design, insulation and ceiling heights.

What size do I need?

Ducted gas heaters are generally rated by their kilowatt (kw) output, and come in 3 main sizes; small (14-16kw), medium (18-21kw) and large (28-35kw).

A rule of thumb for sizing is 1kw per 1 house square. A ducted heating specialist will be able to recommend the right size heater, the amount of outlets required, and a model to suit your budget.

What do the star ratings mean?

Ducted heaters are categorised into 3 star, 4 star, or 5 star efficiency ranges. The 3 star units offer great value for money with a lower purchase cost, whilst 4 and 5 star models offer lower running costs with a higher investment up front. Mid and high efficiency models provide a more steady airflow and consistent temperature as the burner and fan systems are able to increase and decrease according to the temperature required, whereas a 3 star model will turn on and off to regulate temperature. The additional cost of a high efficiency model generally pays itself back over 5 years through lower gas bills.