From a Guest Blogger: Safe Ways To Heat Your Home

The winter chills are setting in and your house is freezing (Really?  It’s summer in the northern hemisphere, where far more than 90% of the world’s population lives. -ed.) You want to install a heater but you’re not sure which one to buy; which one is the most affordable outright, vs. which one has the lowest ongoing costs? Which heater is the right size for my current home (“my?” You switched from the 2nd to the 1st person?  Why? – ed.), but also offers the option of extension if I decide to add more rooms? And perhaps most importantly, which heater is the safest system to heat my room? These are some questions you may ask yourself as the colder months approach and you become desperate for a heating solution.

First of all, beyond initial and ongoing costs, safety should be your biggest concern. Traditionally, gas heaters have been the most popular option as gas is more affordable that electricity in terms of ongoing costs. However they can be expensive as a whole house system generally is installed through the floor or ceiling. If you choose to install a gas heater, have it serviced regularly and it is used correctly, it can be a safe and economical system to use. To service your gas heating system, you will require a professional to inspect in the system at least every two years, before the cold season sets in. If your gas heating system is not maintained, you could be putting you and your family in extreme danger as the gas may leak, causing carbon monoxide poisoning.
Fireplaces are also a viable option and look lovely and cosy in the home. If you have small children however, this could be a real danger. Whether you have a wood heater stove, or an open fireplace, these heating systems are very, very hot to the touch and any contact could burn those little hands. It also requires a lot of maintenance, if you don’t keep on top of it, you may experience a build up of smoke, endangering your family’s respiratory health.

Another option that has been popular for years overseas, is hydronic heating. Every year more Australians are choosing to install a hydronic heating system as a safe and economic way to heat their homes. A hydronic heating system works through your hot water system. Your hot water comes your hot water system, this is the heart of the whole system, it heats water to a temperature controlled by your thermostat. A pump then pumps water through the pipes that run from the boiler to the heating outlet (your heater) carrying hot water from the boiler to the heater then back again to be reheated. This happens in a continuous cycle until the desired temperature has been reached. The actual heating unit can vary, but the most popular options is a flat, wall mounted radiator that is cool to the touch and gently releases heat through the vents at the top and bottom of the system. The safety of a hydronic heating system is undeniable, especially if you have curious small children who like to touch every surface. Without any direct heat emanating from the system, a hydronic heating system is a fantastic option. You can find these systems at most heating and cooling companies, like Green Heat.