Central Heating In NZ - What Are Your Options?
Unlike many of our friends in colder climates across the globe, most New Zealand homes generally don’t feature central heating. This has made for a reputation of freezing through the winter and sweating through the summer, especially when it comes to first homes and student flats.
Sustainability Trust chief executive Phil Squire says that it comes down to cost and custom:
"It's not customary for us to have central heating… I think it's just the norm that folks don't expect to spend that kind of money because we are also very used to single room heating. We might put a heat pump in our living room and possible hall and use portable heaters in our bedrooms”. – Source: NZ Herald
However, many Kiwis are choosing to fight the freeze and have ducted or multi-room heat pumps installed. Heat pumps offer many of the same benefits as central heating but at a much more affordable cost.
New Zealand Housing Stock Not Well Insulated
Old New Zealand housing stock typically requires that adequate insulation be fitted before heating and ventilation is installed.
High-quality insulation endeavours to keep the heat inside your home during the colder months and outside during the summer. This means that it costs less to heat up or cool down your house when you have adequate insulation! You can generally insulate your home in all surfaces - in the ceiling, underfloor and in the walls. However, the ceiling and underfloor insulation should be prioritised. Hot air rises which means insulation in the ceiling can catch the heat before it escapes, keeping your home warmer. Similarly, underfloor heating will prevent heat loss, eliminate drafts (which are very common in New Zealand!) and act as a barrier, reducing moisture from creeping into the floor.
When discussing the lack of insulation in housing stock, Phil Squire says New Zealand historically "had a lot of timber, so we have had wood fires, which have been the open fires... and also insulation didn't come into homes until 1978 and that was a very low requirement."
Timber was also used to build many of New Zealand’s older houses. Weatherboards and brick cladding with timber framing were commonly used, resulting in homes often having draughty wooden floors and little insulation. When these houses were built, New Zealand was also not perceived to get as cold as places like Canada and the UK, so the concept of central heating was dismissed. However, New Zealand has a very wet climate and experiences significant drops in temperature overnight.
The temperature isn’t the only thing that our wet climate affects. Every Kiwi who has lived in an older home is familiar with the cold creep of condensation. Condensation occurs when humid air hits a cool surface, converting the moisture in the humidity to liquid. For New Zealand homes, this means wet windows, damp walls, and clammy carpets. And where there is dampness, mould, mildew and unpleasant odours are often just around the corner. Mould isn’t just ugly and frustrating to deal with, but also can have very real health effects. Mould spores can cause symptoms such as runny noses, watery eyes, dry coughs, skin rashes, sore throats and even wheezing.
Cold New Zealand Houses Are a Health Risk
Cold homes have been linked to cardiovascular disease and respiratory illness. And it doesn’t stop there. Indoor dampness and mould have also been linked to asthma, respiratory infections and rheumatic fever. Philippa Howden-Chapman, University of Otago professor at the Department of Public Health in Wellington, spoke on the danger of living in cold homes, saying “New Zealand should be concerned about cold houses because more people get sick during winter”.
Howden-Chapman also highlighted recent evidence in Japan, showing that blood pressure actually increases during the night. She stated, "that's a problem if people have their heart compromised. Or for a young baby or older person, whose regulation of their temperature isn't as good as people in the middle years of their lives."
But, what does that have to do with your house? And how do you know if the temperature of your home is just a classic Kiwi chill or a cause for concern? Below are five common signs that indicate your home may be harbouring more than just a harmless draught.
1. Rot in floor or walls
If surfaces in your home are rotting, this a strong indicator that your home has been suffering from dampness for a while.
2. Condensation
Finding beads of water on your windows every morning? Excessive condensation is another sign that your home could be experiencing serious moisture issues.
3. Damp or cool surfaces
When walls, ceilings or floors feel damp or cold to the touch, it’s extremely likely that there is excessive moisture in your house.
4. Mould and mildew
Mould and mildew are a common result of dampness and can indicate an unhealthy environment. These can appear on almost anything from clothes and furniture, to walls and ceilings.
5. Unpleasant odours
A musty smell can mean excessive moisture. Find the root of the smell and check for further signs of dampness.
Heat Pumps Vs Heaters
If you’ve made the decision to invest in heating, it’s important to carefully consider which solution is best for you. For many of us, the first factor we have to think about is cost. Although with heat pumps there is a higher installation cost, the running costs of heat pump systems are typically under 10c per kilowatt-hour (kWh) compared to electric heaters which can be around 30c per kWh.
"If you can afford it, then central heating is a wonderful solution," says Squire.
Ducted heat pumps offer a great alternative to traditional central heating. Just like central heating, they can provide warmth throughout your home and are an energy-efficient heating solution.
How Ducted Heat Pumps Can Help New Zealand Homes
Most people in New Zealand grew up with heating in single rooms, if any. Ducted heat pumps, however, can help Kiwis their entire homes with a single system. This means that the temperature can be controlled in all spaces, helping the whole family sleep in a comfortable environment, without concern.
You can control the temperature with the thermostat and use a timer to ensure that your heat pump is being utilised efficiently. Our systems are even zone-controlled, so you can change the temperature for different parts of the house! Ducted heat pumps also double as being more aesthetically pleasing than a wall-mounted heat pump, with minimal visual impact, and can be tailored to the needs of your home.
Combined with proper insulation, ducted heat pumps are a cost-effective solution that can help Kiwis enjoy their homes more, in every season.
Environmentally Friendly Heat Pumps
As climate change awareness becomes more and more prevalent, the temperature of your home isn’t the only thing to consider when choosing a heating solution. Howden-Chapman said there needed to be heating designed especially for New Zealand homes. “The big issue now - because we are not doing well on reducing carbon emissions - is to make sure we make ourselves warmer without using lots more carbon."
When compared to wood, gas, and coal-burning systems, heat pumps are an environmentally friendly alternative to keeping your home warm. As New Zealand generates 80% of electricity supply from renewable sources, ducted heat pump systems don’t incur the same emission costs of gas-powered central heating options.
Pros And Cons Of A Ducted Heat Pump System
Choosing a heat solution can be overwhelming at best. We’ve broken down the key points for ducted heat pump systems, so you can decide if it’s right for you.
Pros:
- Provide heat for your entire house.
- Control the temperature with the thermostat and use the timer.
- Zone-controlled so you can control the temperature in different parts of the home.
- Flush fitting outlet vents have a very low visual impact in each room compared to high-wall units.
- Can be custom-fitted to your home based on your needs.
Cons:
- May be expensive to install retrospectively to existing homes
- Can be expensive to run if your house isn't well-insulated or is draughty due to heat lost outside.
Keen to explore our heat pump options? Check out our standard and ducted options.
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