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Of course no one plans to build a home in Queenstown without any heating…. especially as it is a town that is surrounded by ski fields, but the important thing is to consider how to get the most out of the investment you will make toward heating your home and this needs to be decided on when your home is just a build. This is a decision that you need to make based on what is important to you, and to do that you need to be able to realise what is driving your decision making.

Are you wanting to be environmentally friendly with your choice? Do you want something that turns on with a flick of a switch and works instantaneously? Or perhaps your focus is to find something that creates an or adds to the ambience in your home?

There are many options available to you in Queenstown, so many that you could spend days looking, searching and researching. So to make it more simple for yourself, we really push you to consider your reasons for your choices and to try and let that shape and drive your final decision.

A ducted heat pump system: is definitely a modern heating system worth considering for your new build. The advantages to this system are endless but the standouts are that it is fast acting, quiet and affordable to run when used properly, not to mention the fact that it blends into the home aesthetic beautifully (see above photo). Set to a temperature of somewhere between 18-20 degrees, the heating system will work to keep the rooms at a consistent and even temperature at little cost to your pocket, much like a heatpump – BUT because the heat is being distributed to different points in various rooms rather than being pumped out of a unit, the distribution I more efficient. It’s also great for ensuring that all rooms are able to be warmed equally, without having to wait for the heat to be transferred from other spaces. We had a ducted heat pump system installed in our upstairs area and it works a treat, we would leave it set over night to a temperature of 18 degrees so that the rooms were kept warm while we slept and the temperature gauge would manage this for your completely. It’s quiet and it’s fast acting and I really love the way it works for our family.

Underfloor heating: used to be considered somewhat of a luxury, and was well known as an expensive option for heating your home. These days, it is quite the opposite. As well as being a cost-effective option, it is also a more eco-friendly option too as it is run on better systems such as air-to-water, a renewable resource. Another advantage of underfloor heating is the even distribution of the heat throughout the room. Combine your underfloor heating with polished concrete floors and an insulated slab to get the most out of the heating and a beautiful and refined finish (refer to previous Winter Warmer blog posts for more on this).

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Wood fires: are still one of the most loved heating options for kiwis building their homes, and we are lucky in Queenstown that the option is available to us. Wood fires are of course a great way to heat your home, and they also provide a beautiful ambience that is hard to achieve with any of the other options. While gas fires are also perhaps nearly as aesthetically pleasing they aren’t as cost effective and or energy efficient, and for many people nothing can beat the classic sound of a fire roaring and the warming light that a wood burner provides.
The decision between Gas fires and Wood burners is largely a lifestyle decision as we see it, gas has a lot of advantages of ease for many busy people who don’t need to be fluffing around moving firewood and making mess trying to light fires. As a result of this, gas fires suit many modern people living a busy modern lifestyle. (Read our interview with the Stovax team to find out more about what might drive you towards gas or wood burner fires).

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Whatever the style you are planning for your home, we are here to help you discover the right heating option to suit your needs. Talk to us for a more in depth and genuine discussion about what we have discovered living with all of these different options in the homes we have lived in.