Are you searching for the perfect indoor gas heater for your home to keep yourself and your family warm and cosy during the winter? At Sydney Plumbing, we not only provide the best indoor gas heaters of the choicest brands such as Rinnai but also provide reliable gas heater service and repairs. In this blog, we’ll show you how you can select the best indoor gas heater for your requirements.

Understanding the Fundamentals of the Indoor Gas Heater

Starting with – you can connect gas heating in two ways – (1) Flued and (2) Unflued, irrespective of whether you use Natural gas or LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas).

Flued & Unflued Gas Heaters

	Unflued (aka Portable) Heaters	Flued Gas Heaters
Gas Connection	It is plugged into a bayonet using a gas tube.	It is set up in a room and connected to the mains or an LPG bottle.
Emissions	It emits inside the room.	Flue emits outside.
Ideal for Room Size	It delivers instant heat in a mid-sized room.	It heats mid-large size room and is programmable.
Best Suited For	An ideal and convenient alternative for renters, as they can easily pack it up and take it with them.	Best for open-plan homes and apartment buildings.
Considerations	It is not effective for an open plan home. Mould formation likely due to water vapours.	It is not mobile – you can’t move them around. It is pricier.

 

Types of Gas Heaters & Their Features

People have different requirements. Some are concerned with making particular rooms of their homes warm and cosy so that their spaces are livable during the colder months. And others like the glow of a gas log fire or radiant heat.

Type	Heating Style	How they work/ Features you should know
Wall Heaters	Fan forced	It is mounted into a recessed/hollow wall or over its surface to achieve a slimline look.
Gas fires	Flued gas vents	It can be installed from scratch or inserted into an existing opening, or use as freestanding. It doesn’t require wood chopping.
Central Heating	Ducted into the ceiling or floor	Ability to heat your whole home or certain areas. It controls the heat distribution, temperature and timing.
Portable	Radiant (Direct Heat)	It is operated manually – electronic ignition (battery). Compared to convector or combo, it is cheaper to purchase.
	Convectors (Fan-Forced)	Spreads heat more extensively than radiant. Many models get thermostats and remote controls.
	Combination (Direct Heat & Air)	It combines the best of both worlds.

 

Where You’re Situated & Room Sizes

When selecting the type of indoor gas heater, you need to factor in the following:

• How much sunshine your home receives during the day?
• How cold the weather can get?
• The area your gas heater needs to cover.

Next, you need to consider the following:

• Rooms you want to Heat:  Do you want to heat only one room or different spaces?
• Room size: Portable heaters aren’t allowed in small or compact rooms. Larger rooms need more powerful heating.
• Insulation: It helps heat to remain where you need it.
• Size of the Windows: Glass needs more heat to warm the room, so the bigger the size of your glass windows, the more time will be needed to heat the space.
• Positioning your Gas Heater: It will depend on the size of your room and what lies beneath your floors, ceilings and walls.

Vital Considerations for Gas Heaters

• Flued gas heaters are ideal for regions experiencing colder climates.
• Portable gas heaters aren’t legal for small/compact spaces like bathrooms and bedrooms.

Buy the Right Gas Heater Size for the Space to Get the Best Possible Heating Experience!

 

• When you buy the right size of gas heater for space, it will ensure you get the right amount of energy, helping you to enjoy the best possible heating experience without over-investing.
• Once you’re ready with the measurements of your rooms, you can use the below table as your reference to choose the right size of the gas heater you need to heat your rooms.

 

Reference Table: Selecting the Right Size of Gas Heater for the Room Size

Room Size	KW output	Gas consumption	Purchase Cost	Running Cost/2 Hours
Small (30-43sqm)	2.8-4.3kW	14-16MJ/h	$649-1325	69c-$1.10
Medium (47-67sqm)	3.3-6.7kW	19-22MJ/h	$899-1199	$1.18-1.43
Large (53-83sqm)	5.1-8.3kW	24+MJ/h	$819-2139	$1.54-2.16

Notes:

• MJ (Megajoules) – Measuring unit for the amount of gas consumed.
• kW (Kilowatt) – Measuring unit for the heat that is produced.

Look for Energy Efficiency Stars

The type of gas heater you buy and the way you intend to use it will have an impact on your energy consumption. Well, before making your decision, consider the following:

• Are you looking to heat only one mid-size room?
• Do you want to heat different rooms, but not all at the same time?
• Will your indoor gas heater remain ON continuously for extended periods?

Some Vital Considerations You Need to Keep In Mind

• To conserve energy, you can turn the heat ON and OFF using programmable timers.
• Radiant heaters can only effectively heat a specific part of the room.
• Convection heaters aren’t efficient when they are used for extended periods.
• Flued heaters can’t deliver the energy efficiency of portable gas heaters.
• It is imperative to buy the right size of heater for space. If you buy a bigger heater for a smaller space, then you will end up paying for energy that you don’t require.

The Bottom Line

• Well, you need to precisely know how much space you have in the room and accordingly get the right size of the gas heater – this will ensure using the energy it needs to heat the required space. Thus, helping you to reap the best value for your investment.
• When it comes to natural gas or LPG, you have an array of gas heater choices to select from. Some of the trusted brands include Rinnai, Paloma and Everdure.
• When installing a new gas heater, make sure you get it done from a qualified plumber in Sydney.

In some states and territories, pensioners can avail rebates on gas connections. If you haven’t availed of the gas rebate scheme for natural gas and LPG, then you can take advantage of it right away.