Heating options
A warm home is a healthy home. We review your home-heating options.
A warm home is a healthy home. We review your home-heating options.
Household air temperature should ideally be between 18 and 24°C, but New Zealand homes are often much colder than this.
When temperatures drop below 16°C, there is an increased risk of respiratory conditions as well as more condensation and potentially mould and mildew.
Good insulation, ventilation, heating and cooling will make your home a more comfortable and healthy place to live.
Clause E3 Internal moisture of the Building Code requires safeguards against 'fungal growth or the accumulation of contaminants on linings and other building elements'. Fungi, in the form of moulds, can endanger human health. Fungi grow best in damp environments, therefore a warm, dry home gives fungi less opportunity to grow.
Another health risk is from dust mites which accumulate in carpet, underlays, bedding and soft furnishings. They can bring about allergic reactions. Like fungi, dust mites thrive in damp conditions so keeping the house warm will help keep them under control.
When thinking about heating systems for your new home, you need to consider:
There are two types of heating - passive and active. We outline the active options below. For information about passive options, see Passive design for energy efficiency.
Active heating uses an artificially supplied energy source such as electricity, gas, solid fuel and diesel. Not all energy types are available in all regions. For example, natural gas is reticulated throughout many parts of the North Island but is not available in the South Island. However, alternatives such as home gas services (delivery of bottled gas) may be available.
The options include:
Tip: All woodburners installed after 1 September 2005 in buildings on a section smaller than two hectares must be designed to have a discharge of less than 1.5 grams of particles for each kilogram of dry wood burnt, and a thermal efficiency of not less than 65%. If you live in Canterbury or Nelson there are tougher rules. For more information about National Environment Standards see the Ministry for the Environment website.
This page was put together with the help of BRANZ.
Whether you're planning to build your own home or renovate an existing one, we've got you covered with a wide range of articles covering the whole process.
Renovating and altering houses is a favourite pastime for many New Zealanders. Our articles take a look at what's involved when you undertake a renovation project.
Regular maintenance is needed to ensure your house holds its value and remains safe and comfortable to live in.
This site uses cookies to help us understand how visitors engage with our website. By using Consumer NZ, you accept our use of cookies.
Get even more Consumer NZ news and invitations to share your voice on important issues straight to your inbox.
By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can opt out at anytime.
Member comments
Get access to comment