Heating and cooling our homes, make up for almost 40% of our energy bills. Heating your home during winter should not cost you too much. Choosing the right heater for your home, can make a massive difference on your energy bill.

Some heaters are cheaper compared to others, while some are suitable for a specific type of area or space. Before installing a heating system in the house, one needs to decide on a few factors. Whether you are looking to heat the whole home or is it only for a room, one will also need to choose between opting for a gas run heating system or electric heating system. There are systems which can do both, heat and cool your house.

So how will you be able to find the right heater for your unique requirements? The market is flooded with different types of heaters, hence choosing the most efficient and cost-effective heating system can be a time-consuming and challenging process.

Listed below are a few points which will help you make the right choice and keep you cosy all through the winter, without stretching high on your budget.

Determining the size and power of the heater

Measuring your room or house:

Size of the room or home plays a vital role in determining the right heating system. Most of the time, the rooms are under heated or have the wrong-sized heater installed. This can result in generating higher energy bills and having a cold, inhospitable environment in the house.

For choosing the most efficient and effective heater, one will need to measure the space which requires heating (in square metres). The simplest way to measure your room or house is by multiplying the room length by its width.

Calculating the power required:

Houses or rooms with high ceilings or large windows will require higher power heater models. Below mentioned are few formulas which can help you in calculating the power required by your heater.

    i) Electric Heater

If you are opting for an electric heater, multiply the room’s measurement in square meters with 100. This gives you the approximate power of the heater which will be needed to heat the room efficiently.

E.g. If a room measures, 4m in width and 5 m in length, the area of the room is 20 sqm. When multiplied with 100, it is 2000.  Therefore, you will require an approximate 2000W electric heater.

    ii) Gas Heater

For gas run heaters, you need to multiply 75 with the room’s area in square metres. This gives you the approximate power of the heater which will be required to heat the room efficiently.

E.g. If a room measures, 4m in width and 5 m in length, the area of the room is 20 sqm. When multiplied with 75, it is 1500.  Therefore you will require an approximate 1500W electric heater.
 

Types of heating systems

Split system heater

Split systems are popular and can be seen in many homes in Australia.  These systems can do both, heating and cooling. In this system, the machine sucks the air from within the room into the condenser. Here the refrigerants are used for heating the air before being blown back into the room. The cost of a split system is different for different sizes and types of models.  Split system heaters are quiet and are suitable for people who have allergies.

Gas ducted heater

A gas ducted heater can be used to heat multiple rooms. It is commonly used in the southern states of Australia for heating the whole houses. In this system, a furnace fuelled by natural gas or LPG is used to draw air, which is passed over a heat exchanger to warm it. Ducts distribute the heated air all around the house. Gas ducted heaters are energy efficient. They require minimal maintenance and is suitable for people with allergies.

Gas space heater

Gas space heaters function by passing cold air over a heat exchanger. This exchanger is heated using gas combustion.  Gas space heaters emit low greenhouse gas emissions. It falls in the mid-cost range.