Central Heating - is it needed?
 

Heading off to Perth and thinking about building our home. Will we need central heating for the winter? Somebody mentioned it the other day on another thread. Is it expensive? They also mentioned double glazing. Really sorry but I can't remember what they were saying about that either. :rolleyes:
Any thoughts anyone? :)
Tracey

Re: Central Heating - is it needed?
 

Think the reverse cycle a/c will work as heater too.
That and most places have a wood burner fire.

Re: Central Heating - is it needed?
 

Hi Perthforme,
Do you know if the reverse cycle a/c is noisy? Every time I think of air con I just imagine a load of noise like when you have it on in the car. Also is it expensive to run?
Thanks
Tracey :)

Re: Central Heating - is it needed?
 

Think its quieter than the older type and the one in gyms here are quiet.
Maybe some one with one in there place can tell us?

Re: Central Heating - is it needed?
 

Once you've had it - you'll want it - uncomfortable to retrain your body and habits to adjust with out it. People got by largely OK with out it but it is now more or less standard. Typically costs $6k for gas. Reverse cycle may need 3 phase electric power - cost depends.

Re: Central Heating - is it needed?
 

Think it was Hevs but she is in Melbourne in an older style house and it gets cold there in winter :scared:

Re: Central Heating - is it needed?
 

Perth has hot summers, mild winters, not as cold as Sydney or Melbourne.
You would be better off spending your money on a good airconditioning system for summer, perhaps reverse cycle for heating if you get cold in winter.

Re: Central Heating - is it needed?
 

Hi Put in A/C with reverse cycle, get system with inverter bit more exspensive to install but runing costs are CHEAPER.We had it fitted and used the heating mode the next day!! its not noisey at all.We live in NSW and it gets cold where we are in the winter i.e.now.Good luck to you all.Colin Retired in Oz from UK

Re: Central Heating - is it needed?
 

It probably was me:) but we are in Melbourne. The nights last year got as low as 4 and believe me with no heating its freezing. The daily average was between 12 and 16 depending which way the wind was blowing:)

We are having "hydronic heating" Rads to us poms put in. For 9 rads and 2 massive heated towel rails its around $7k

We are also having 3 large patio doors four smaller windows and one large window replaced with double glazing and thats around $6 and 1/2k :scared:

We are also insulating like mad cos houses built before 2004 (HERE IN VIC) didn't have to be rated. We have tin foil insulation and thats it :scared:

Re: Central Heating - is it needed?
 

The cheaper units that go in holes in the wall, or in the window, are noisy as you are very close to the motor unit. We had one in our bedroom in Sydney, but removed it and filled the hole in the wall. Too noisy.

The Split System ones have the motor unit outside, connected to the indoor section by copper pipes, and can be very quiet. We have them in bedrooms here, and no noise problems.


I think that WA have an evaporative system rather than the refridgerated system that is more common on the east coast, and that may be cheaper to run ?

Re: Central Heating - is it needed?
 

Once you're adjusted to the climate, anything under 20C will have you saying "it's bloody cold" - we just spent 2 winters in an unheated/uncooled unit... Pass the hot choc and the blanket. Mind you, I'm a lizard, anything under 30C is cold for me. Bring on xmas day and 40C...

Evap is for cooling, you usually pay extra to get a gas heater/blower with it for heating. And evap is pretty crap. But it is cheap to install. Of course you need mains gas...And in cooling mode, they dont dehumidify (quite the opposite), and you need to keep the windows open for it to work, thus letting all that nice cold air out...

Of course, you can get rev-cycle in Perth. Our system's costing us $14,000 from http://www.needhamair.com.au/ for a six duct, cant-remember-how-many-zones, 3HP invertor thingy. The fans end up in the roof with the compressor/heat exchanger bit outside (the noisey bit) and ducted outlets in various parts of the house (I'll post a diagram if you're that interested!)

Mind you, at the moment, we'd need serious heating..

Re: Central Heating - is it needed?
 

We made do with fan heaters last year and have to admit I complained constantly about my cold nose. Managed to keep every other bit warm! (Ugh boots - great invention) We've moived now to a place with heating but have not needed it yet this year.

Re: Central Heating - is it needed?
 

We had a fan heater under a blanket on the sofa. "Smell something burning??"
Sitting around in my drysuit undergarment made things toasty :)

Still no heating but we have a gas point here now so give it a few more weeks and we might have to make a trip to Hardly Normal and buy a heater. Which will be no use next winter since our new place isnt on gas :(

Re: Central Heating - is it needed?
 

So have we, it's called Queensland :D

Re: Central Heating - is it needed?
 

I'm glad I highlighted the word "I think" :) As I wrote it, I thought something wasn't quite right, and now I know what it was - cooling not heating :D