Guide to energy efficient heating

While energy efficient heaters can have a higher upfront cost, the energy consumption will typically be lower so you may save money in the long run compared to a heating option that’s cheap to buy but expensive to run.

If your house gets cold in the cooler months and you’re looking to get the best energy efficient heater for your house or upgrade your current heater, it may be worth considering an energy efficient option to heat your main living areas.

Energy efficient heaters are also better for the environment as they typically produce less greenhouse gas emissions, helping you reduce your carbon footprint.

Most heaters will come with an energy rating label that you can use to check the energy efficiency of the appliance. The energy star rating label is a government initiative that helps customers make informed decisions about their energy usage.

These labels also include climate ratings that consider the climate zone that the appliance will be running in, allowing customers to choose an appliance that may be better suited to where they live.

While portable heaters can be the least expensive to buy, they can be the most expensive to run and aren’t actually energy efficient when it comes to heating large spaces. Other types of heating you may want to consider instead include:

• Fan convection heaters
• Ceramic heaters
• Oil-filled column heaters
• Panel heaters
• Convector heaters
• Radiant heaters
• Reverse cycle split system air conditioners
• Gas heaters
• Wood heaters
• Electric fireplaces.

Unfortunately, there’s no singular right answer to the most energy efficient heater. That’s because the best type of heater for your home will depend on the size of your home, the energy efficiency rating of your appliance, your budget and how much of the house you’re looking to heat up.

For larger spaces, reverse cycle air conditioning (which uses heat pumps) might be most energy efficient way for effective results at a relatively low cost, and it can double as a cooling system in the hotter months. For smaller rooms, it may depend on whether you want electric or gas heating; gas appliances can often be cheaper to run, but can be more expensive to buy than their electric counterparts.

While it’s not an obvious choice when it comes to heating, a ceiling fan can also help you make the most of your heating. If it’s a reversible fan, you can turn on the winter setting and the fan will push the hot air down to help better distribute the warmth where you need it.

The running cost of heating your home depends on a lot of factors including:

• What appliance you’re using and how energy efficient it is
• How much of the home you’re heating
• The size of your home or the room/s you’re heating
• The insulation in your home
• If your home is properly sealed against draughts to prevent losing warm air
• How often you heat your house and for how long
• What climate zone you’re in
• What electricity rate you’re on and if you have solar.

As an example, in a Melbourne climate the heating costs for a small house with central heating with a multi-split reverse-cycle air conditioner, with a 1.5 star rating may be $770 a year.  The same appliance with a 2.5 star appliance may cost $513 a year.¹

If you upgrade your appliance to a version with a higher energy rating, it may help you save on your energy bills. However, if you previously didn’t have any heating appliances and then installed one (like an air conditioning system), keep in mind that you’ll likely see an increase instead.

Making upgrades to your heating appliances, particularly if your current appliance has a low star rating, can be cost effective. For example, a reverse-cycle air conditioner with a 1.5 star efficiency rating may have an annual energy cost of $287, while a 3.0 star-rated unit may only cost $191 a year.¹

Choosing an energy efficient heating system is only one way to save on your energy bills. Here are some other methods of energy saving around the home:

• Compare your energy plan. By comparing your energy plan, you may be able to combine lower energy rates with energy efficient appliances and maximise your savings. Depending on where you live, you can compare electricity and gas plans (if you have natural gas), and also search for solar feed-in tariffs.
• Take control of your energy use. Any plans with flexible pricing structures rely on you tracking and taking control of your energy usage. This might mean running larger appliances during off-peak periods or spreading out your energy use, so you’re not caught out by demand charges. You could also make other changes to lower your energy bill, such as taking advantage of the outside air and sun to dry your clothes rather than always relying on your dryer.
• Upgrade your appliances. Your heating isn’t the only appliance that you can check for energy efficiency. Larger appliances such as dishwashers, dryers or washing machines can be big energy consumers, so upgrading to one that has a higher energy rating may help you save over time.