Choosing a heater
This is an excerpt from an article in Sanctuary magazine issue 3.
The type of heating you need depends on the size and function of the space to be heated and how often and how many people use the space. When looking for a heater find out how much energy a heater will use, its long term running costs and how much pollution it will create.
Unless you create your own energy from a renewable source or purchase GreenPower, the energy used by your electric heater is sourced by greenhouse gas producing fossil fuels. Efficient gas heaters and reverse cycle airconditioners produce one third the amount of greenhouse emissions of standard electric heaters. They also have energy labels to help you choose the most efficient model. If looking for a space heater choose a 5-6 star natural gas heater or a 4-6 star reverse-cycle airconditioner. For central heating, zoned 4-5 star natural gas ducted heaters and zoned natural gas hydronic systems are the most economical.
Wood can be a good fuel source if the wood is sustainably harvested and sourced locally. However, the smoke from wood fires is a major source of pollution, and open fires lose 90 per cent of their heat up the chimney. If using wood make sure it is sustainably sourced and use a slow combustion heater to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Solar heaters
Almost all of the energy available on the planet today comes or has come from one place—the sun. Yet, very little of it is used directly by people. There are two forms of active solar heating available in Australia; flat plate collectors and solar boosted hydronic heating.
Flat plate collectors consist of a large flat glass covered box used to heat air which is then pumped into the home using a fan. Small (approximately 1 x 2 metres) flat plate heaters can be used to heat individual rooms, while larger (approximately 3 x 4 metre) roof-mounted collectors can heat an entire home, at least when the sun is shining.
You can also use the sun’s heat to provide some (or sometimes all) of the heat to a storage-type hydronic heating system. Indeed, some hydronic systems that use solar evacuated tubes are designed to be primarily heated by solar, with gas or electric boosting as a backup.
Whatever system you choose, remember that the best way to save energy, money and reduce your greenhouse emissions is with good house design. By reducing heat loss you can maintain a comfortable temperature inside, regardless of the temperature outside.
