How to use gas heating efficiently?

Is your home ready for the fast approaching winter chill? If you're like many Sydneysiders you're probably holding on to the last of the summer warmth, hoping the cold will stay away for a few more weeks. This is totally understandable, we are too. However, carrying out a few simple tasks around your home now could actually help you breeze through the chilly conditions when they actually arrive.

Prepping for winter in Sydney thankfully doesn't require heading to the woods to chop down a big tree for firewood, preserving veggies, and salting or drying meat and fish. Apart from digging out the jumpers, many of us don't even notice the change of season until it's time to crank up the heater on the first frosty morning.

Maximum warmth for minimal effort

Keeping your home toasty warm all winter long without spending up big on gas heating is doable, with only a little bit of effort. Here's how.

Heater care

Give your heater some attention before you need to rely on it. Just like your car it needs a service once in a while to ensure it runs efficiently and won't break down when you need it most.

During a gas heater service, your gas fitter will check all components for wear and tear and faults including:

flue - dust and debris in the flue can reduce the efficiency, cause overheating and create a fire hazard
thermostat
filters and hoses
fan
heat exchanger
pilot light, burner and gas pressure

A carbon monoxide test is essential during the service to ensure the dangerous substance is being removed via the flue and is not leaking into the room. Carbon monoxide, a by-product of burning gas and other fuels, is odourless, colourless and toxic. Carbon monoxide poisoning can present as unexplained shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches nausea, chest pains and eventually it can deprive the body of oxygen causing serious health issues.

Stop drafts

Get a draft excluder, in fact, buy one for every external opening which lets air come in or out under the door or window.

What's a draft excluder? One of those fabric snake-like things filled with sand or grain, your grandmother might have used them in her home. Yes, they are daggy as anything, but they work a treat to keep the cold air out and the warm air in, cost next to nothing, and can reduce your heating costs.

Insulate, then insulate some more

Basically, the aim is to keep the cold out and the warm in. With this in mind, various types of insulating measures can do wonders for the efficiency of your heating.

Wall and ceiling insulation helps a huge amount but is a big investment if it's not already installed in your home. Having said that, the reduction of heating costs over a few years could quickly offset the expense. If it's manageable, get it in but if not you don't have to resign yourself to living in an igloo all winter, there are other options.

Curtains - the thicker the better, help to keep the warm air from escaping through the windows.
Blinds - although not as good as curtains they do boost insulation if they're kept closed.
Doors - seems like a no-brainer that shutting the front door will keep the heat in but shutting internal doors, especially to rooms not in use, cut's down heating costs and means a single heater is not attempting the impossible task of trying to warm the whole house.
Carpet or mats - covering hard floors can keep the cold from seeping up from the ground.

Get the right size heater

Choosing the right size heater for the space you wish to warm will ensure that the heater works at its most efficient. Measure out the room before you go shopping for a new heater and speak to a heating specialist for specific advice as to other factors like insulation, the height of the ceiling, number and size of the windows, floor coverings, etc also affect your heating requirements.

Tip - If your heater is too big for the room it will just waste gas overheating the space. Alternatively, if the heater is too small it will work overtime just to maintain a comfortable temperature in the room.

Last minute tips from the gas heating specialists

Always use a licenced gas fitter for all gas repair, installation or servicing work.
Never use an unflued heater in a small room - the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is too great
Take a look at the gas log fire or gas flued heater $1000 cashback offer from Natural Gas - gonaturalgas.com.au
For expert advice on gas heating in your Sydney home contact our gas fitting team on 9191 7374 or complete our service request form today.