tonz76

Yep your right it is future work the only prob being the cost of bottled gas here in the south which makes people reluctant to switch to and sometimes because of the unknown if you get my meaning, but hopefully that will change. As you said diesel is another option same principle as oil heated burners in Uk and seem quite popular down south well those with a little extra income to spare anyway

BEVS

However, that is the heating of choice along with wood burners . The people of New Zealand don't have to realise anything. They are free to choose how to heat their homes.

but it isn't is it

No, it wouldn't for very many reasons. Structure and insulation first.

BEVS

Quite. no one can afford it.

Well yes. Few offer the bottle gas service and so the charges are extremely high. One could be held to ransom. Whereas one can choose an electricity provider or go choip your own wood.

I very much doubt it for the South Island.

Well . Yes again. Most homes have oil filled , plug in , radiators which they are happy with. Why fork out for systems they simply cannot afford... unless you are cashed up that is.

coffeeaddict

The biggest part of the heating problem is poor insulation you should correct that 1st imo.

Fossil fuels will be getting more and more expensive because the world wants us to stop using it!

BEVS

Most of the guys around us collect their own fossil fuel. No cost involved.

tonz76

Ok firstly Im not trying to slate Kiwi choice of heating just merely stating that thats what is chosen . Secondly heat pumps are only their choice because they are overly sold it!!!!! and wood burners are what is most common because thats been about from year dot......


Yes insulation plays a big part in containing the heat in the home well done

hazeandsteve

...Or maybe the profusion of trees helps....or the ability to have heat when the power's out...or the ability to store years worth of fuel, and not just a fortnight in bottle....or that you can heat water on/behind them....or just that they're pretty!

bourbon-biscuit

Animals and humans have long been drawn to the comforting warmth of fire. The heat given out by a log fire remains long after the last log and seeps into the walls and furniture, whereas a heat pump can pump away but once turned off the heat vanishes. Comparisons of heat sources seem to always be one dimensional. Homes without a log fire seem kind of soulless to me.

tonz76

lol yes have to agree there but a bottle only goes in a fortnight because people stay in the shower far too long

lardyl

ah but the heat from the open fire does not warm up the room as quickly because it's got to warm up the wall/hearth/cast iron/etc

soulless, maybe, but given the lack of real clean air regs means you can dump all your smog and waste on some other poor bugger...... let's all go back to the 50s and pea-soupers. Maybe not.

I curse people who don't know how to operate an open fire/wood burner, run it when the air is still or choose to burn the cheapest stuff they can get their hands on. Selfish barstewerds.

Stuff burning wood, propane and natural gas let's get solar for water heating (a proper roof on every house might help!), expand renewables (tidal, wind, goethermal, hydro, wave) for our base electricity supply and dump all the pretty, asthma inducing wood burners. Or at least make all those who want to smog the place up live in a small valley together.

bah humbug

/rant over/

lardyl

no cause kiwis are cheap........and they can get free firewood from all sorts of places and dump the resulting smoke on their neigbours' washing/kids/lungs

bit like chosing not to vaccinate your kids, alright for me and stuff the other bugger

OK as a backstop and for the odd day in winter but who needs smoke blowing in through their garden in November, cause it looks nice?

Get an eff-ing flame effect gas fire you toe-rag.

/rant over again/

BEVS

Why, thank you . Husband has only been at this plumbing/gasfitting & solar trade lark for 37 years . 7 years of those in NZ.

I know mate. The lack of solar is sad given the sunshine hours . It simply all comes down to costs at the end of the day & what can/can't be afforded within a weekly budget.


On another note, gasfitters are not in shortage in NZ. Neither are plumbers. Any employer wanting to offer pcmay10 a job will have to prove to NZIS and the NZ Dept of Labour that there is no NZ resident or citizen that could do that work or be trained to do that work .
NZ prefers it's own over the overseas trained plumbers & gasfitters so boots on the ground is best and a persuasive manner. It will help if pcmay10 gains a positive pre-assessment from the PGDB in advance & shows he understands the route to becoming NZ registered. Any job he could be offered will most likely be under the going rate , simply because he won't be qualified & will need his work supervised.

hazeandsteve

...and a bit like flying with kids...

Debbie2NZ

I got a quote to install radiator central heating in my house in Wanganui on the north island which would include a cylinder, pump, boiler etc and of course, the rads themselves. I have mains gas and an infinity water heating system so the old boiler and cylinder has been removed. I have a flame effect fire in the living room too. It's not enough to heat the whole house. I've had a quote to install a heat pump in the loft and duct warm air to the bedrooms and airing cupboard. This, along with a further heatpump downstairs to heat the ground floor when the gas fire isn't on will cost the same as radiator central heating, which I miss. I'm aiming for a warm house, I've had to get over how we do it. We had warm air central heating in our first house in UK in 1995. It does not follow logic to try and have radiators in parallel to an infinity hot water system. Ultimately heat pumps will have more 'kiwi appeal' than radiators would.
Prior to this, we are having the loft insulation topped up to the current standard. I've had a quote for underfloor insulation. I'm waiting for a quote regarding double glazing.