Just wondering if anyone could help.
My partner and I are building to build in early next year. Were building through National Builders Group, and there standard inclusion is a split system.
Many people have told us they cost less to run but then others have told us they are more to heat and cool. We really don't want to get ducted as we have only heard bad things.What should we choose?
It depends on many factors including what do you want to achieve?
If you live in an area which is away from the coast, evaporative coolers work quite efficiently (although it can get a little damp), 'whole of house' fans are able to extract heat and draw in external air (works really well if the house is raised and air can be drawn in from below or through shaded areas of the house. These both use rather small motors without compressors and do not have a high power consumption.
There are plenty of heating options available – from permanent wall mounted oil heaters (some are contained behind a flat panel so kids can't get to them), there are panels that can go into your ceiling and underfloor heating is very efficient too if put into the screed of your floor, there is also gas heating. Least effective are the heat lamps used in bathrooms which provide 'spot heat' for a very short period.
Air conditioning – highly efficient for the movement of heat however running costs are quite high. Be selective in which areas are covered by ducted air ie you don't need ac in your laundry, storeroom, garage etc and you don't need to run the whole house constantly (ie use zoning).Personally, I'd use a combination it may be more expensive to install initially however you won't be chewing up power on days that you only require air movement.
Most importantly, have adequate insulation (roof, walls and floor), minimise losses (curtains), minimise heat gains (shading via trees, eaves, solar pergolas, window tint/efficient glazing & solar orientation of the house).
One of the best ways to keep your house cool/warm is to have installation, What is generally used is Pink Batts, Though don't opt for the sound proofing one because its crap.
Yes your right about the ducted air con, Its crap, Costs a mini fortune to buy and sucks to much power.
A few reverse cycle split systems around the house are the way to go, Say one for the main area, And one in the Main Bed, ect ect.
IP Freely is right, One of the best ways to keep the house cool is the use of things like shading from Blinds, Patio's Trees, Even the direction your house is facing can save a lot of money on your power bill. Also the internal design of your house is very important, A good designed house will save lots of power, Think of where is the best place to put doors ect to shut of zones for heating/cooling.
We have tried many brands of air conditioners from Fujitsu, Sony, Panasonic ect ect and found that probably Panasonic is the best
Oh, One more thing, If your going to get split systems, Make sure each air conditioner is overpowered for the Area you need it to cool, A high powered air con running at idle will use less power then a little baby one busting its guts out all day.
Thank you
You have been a big help. We are most likely going to go the split systems are they cheaper to run and install and come with heating and cooling in one.
Its hard being a first home buyer and building there are so many options.
If you have any futher tips and advice please fill me in.Hi
I really don't know about it but i use coal sometimes for heating up my home ._______________________________________________________
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Also, get 3 phase air conditioning if you can, its more efficient and cheaper to run.
When I lived in the tropics we had external horizontal aluminium blinds (maybe not called blinds I forget ). They were great for shading the windows. You see them on old highset houses in the tropics.
Agree with most of above, except I personally dont think the evaporative coolers work, but I have only used them when in Moree in NSW and maybe it was the high humidity that stopped it working?
In summer our location doesn't get as hot as the tropics we are located just out of Melbourne Metro.
So should split sytems still do the job? We are mainly focusing on the heating more then cooling at the moment.If that is the case, then you might consider gas boosted air conditioning. The heating capacity is increased (due to the gas burner) and you get away with a lower powered cooling system. This is only for a fully ducted system. It has marginally higher upfront costs but your winter running cost will be much lower, recouping itself over a number of years.
Phase 3 costs a fortune to setup
I hate my insulation, I preferred it without. In summer wifey has the aircon on, then mid afternoon turns it off, the house heats up, and the only way to get the heat out of the house it to turn the aircon back on, whereas previously, it stayed cool because it was cooler outside.
Paullie wrote:I hate my insulation, I preferred it without. In summer wifey has the aircon on, then mid afternoon turns it off, the house heats up, and the only way to get the heat out of the house it to turn the aircon back on, whereas previously, it stayed cool because it was cooler outside.I think you need to do physics 101 again. Rule of thermo dynamics – heat always travels towards cold. The problem with your house is that the insulation is near useless. It’s not a complete system. It lets heat in which is transferred to materials that store thermal mass; ie concrete, brick etc. which then releases it back as outside temps reduce. That’s why it feels hotter inside. I also think you have no idea or understanding of the thermal profile of your house.
A simple law of physics related to thermal gradients. If it’s cold outside internal heat tries to move to the outside until there is equilibrium in temperature and vice versa.
Proper insulation and a complete system controls this movement of energy. Either keeping it out (hot days) or keeping it in (cold days).
Focus, if you need systems to both heat and cool a house then you’re on a hiding to nothing. The objective of energy efficient design is to use little or no energy to achieve both. It is quite easily done and as you are in the design stage it lets you achieve this at the least cost.
Over the next decade or two energy efficient homes will get the premium prices as energy costs go through the roof.
Get it right now!!! It’s worth big bucks to you in lower energy costs and better resale value.
I could build a house in the Simpson Desert and use no energy to cool it in 45C+ summers or heat it in sub zero winter nights.
The Freckle
Google ‘Earth Ships’ for more info.
By far the most economical way to heat and cool a house is to harness ambient energy.
Thermal mass helps to capture and retain heat for when it's needed.
Good insulation and directed air-flows help keep a house cool.
Simple things like properly calculated eave overhangs make a huge difference.
A south facing courtyard for summer, and a north facing area for winter also work well.Energy is becoming expensive, and will most likely continue to rise sharply.
I believe it will become more common for houses to produce more energy than they consume.
For example, a well designed house with a 4kw solar system is capable of doing this.We installed and used evaporative in a very large flat roofed 2 storey home equivalent in size to 2x 3 brm residences. It required external ducting on the flat roof because there was no internal roof space. Air access from the 2nd floor rooms to the ground floor rooms was provided by the stairwell, which acted as a very efficient air duct. The system was very economical to run and worked well even during a week of 45c days in Cowra, NSW. Used it for 9 years. Now using another one in Wagga Wagga NSW, also excellent. Heating by gas and RC Split systems.
Evaporative work well in low humidity areas like western NSW, adding about 20% humidity inside compared with outside, easy to read info on those wireless home weather stations, but evap is no good on the coast where humidity is already higher, creates damp and mould.
Cheers
good luck.
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Hi Freckle
House is brock and tile, obviously insulated roof as we spoke about. We dont have concrete floors its all wood, house isnt perfectly orientated thats for sure… It would definately be the thermal mass of the bricks re-introducing the heat inside, but how do you prevent the bricks from heating up ? You cant cover the house in insulation. I dont have room on the hot side to plant trees for shade, that would be nice.
Paullie wrote:Hi FreckleHouse is brock and tile, obviously insulated roof as we spoke about. We dont have concrete floors its all wood, house isnt perfectly orientated thats for sure… It would definately be the thermal mass of the bricks re-introducing the heat inside, but how do you prevent the bricks from heating up ? You cant cover the house in insulation. I dont have room on the hot side to plant trees for shade, that would be nice.
Haven’t got time for more in depth suggestions at the moment but you need to think outside the box.
>>>>how do you prevent the bricks from heating up
Vertical garden perhaps. Effective and can add value.
Cool air can seep through wooden floors (and under doors) – you have to contain drafts at all costs
Your roof insulation is probably useless if its batts – note; fibreglass batts (worst product on the market) generally loose most of their R value within 3 years. Wool or recycled paper (fire retarded) are pretty good. I’m out of touch with current products so look around.
UV film on windows – can reduce up to 80% of radiant heat note though that it can work against you in the winter when radiant heat is a bonus. I think you can get pop in/removable screens with UV filters for windows .
The Freckle
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