Fuel Choices

P.L. Gas and Solar Ltd offer a wide range of different heat source options depending on your situation. Our central heating boilers and furnaces suppliers are: Central Heating New Zealand, Warm Air New Zealand Ltd and Switch Energy.

Gas, Wood Pellets, Diesel, Heat Pumps and Wood Fuel

Gas

Uses: Radiators :: Underfloor heating :: Ducted Heating :: Domestic Water Heating :: Swimming pool heating

Natural Gas (Mains Gas) and LPG (Bottled Gas) fueled central heating systems usually have the lowest initial installation cost compared to the other listed heating fuel source heating systems. Natural gas also has very competitive running costs. If Natural Gas is available to you then you are fortunate to have the benefit of reduced installed costs as well as relatively low running costs (the two very seldom go together).

LPG also has a lower capital installation cost however the running cost for LPG central heating systems generally rule it out as a stand alone central heating system. We do often use LPG for its versatility and convenience for heating in the mornings and early evenings in homes that also have a wood fire. This allows the occupants to have the benefits of heating with timers then they can get the fires lit at their leisure for the evening.

LPG ducted air heating with a high efficiency gas furnace is viable in some homes as a stand alone form of heating.

Wood Pellets

Uses: Radiators :: Underfloor heating :: Ducted Heating :: Domestic Water Heating :: Swimming pool heating

Wood Pellets are a fantastic heat source for central heating. Wood Pellets are a renewable and carbon neutral energy source. In New Zealand they are made from an abundant resource - pine sawdust. Wood Pellet boilers are programable and some of the self cleaning boilers are now becoming more affordable. The initial cost of a wood pellet boiler is greater than either a gas or deisel boiler but the running costs are lower and there are no availability charges.

Wood Pellet Boilers need a reasonable amount of space for both the boiler and pellet storage. Pellets can be bought in bags and tipped manualy into a the boiler's hopper or you can invest in a bulk storage hopper for greater convenience.

Diesel

Uses: Radiators :: Underfloor heating :: Ducted Heating :: Domestic Water Heating :: Swimming pool heating

Diesel is commonly used as a central heating heat source. It is clean burning, one of the cheaper systems to install and still has reasonable running costs. Diesel boilers are convenient to use and fully programable. It is likely that the future running costs for diesel will increase over time, however any system currently running on deisel can be converted to wood pellets or perhaps water heating heat pumps as these technologies become more widely adopted and their capital costs decrease.

Heat Pumps

Uses: Underfloor heating :: Swimming pool heating

Heatpump water heating technology for central heating has been in use for many years and geothermal heat pumps are common now in Europe and North America. In New Zealand this type of central heating is an emerging technology that is becoming common predominently for Underfloor heating systems. The upfront costs are still high for this type of heating however the running costs per kW are among the lowest available. (Although free firewood is still impossible to beat!)

Wood Fuel

Uses: Radiators :: Underfloor heating :: Ducted Heating :: Domestic Water Heating :: Swimming pool heating

Wood fuel (Biomass) is an abundant and potentialy free energy source in New Zealand. Modern high efficiency gasification boilers coupled with a buffer tank heat storage are an excellent way for New Zealanders who want complete freedom from energy companies to heat their homes. The initial set up costs are high as these boiler bulky and imported. These systems need minimal attention and are designed to provide heating for extended periods usung the energy stored in the buffer tank.

Spark Energy Boiler