Gas or electric to replace oil heater

[JDog]

Hi,

I am in the process of purchasing a property in Cooma, NSW, as an investment property.

It is a solid brick house, timber floors, under the ugly grey carpet, built in in 2 of the rooms, electric oven, oil heater. It is centrally located, corner block, seperate garage, near hospital ammenties etc.. So ticked my box's for a good rental property around the $200,000 mark.

Only a few minor things to fix/update to make into a good rental property.

So .... initially just wanted to get heating sorted and get someone in there.. then gradually fix/modernise other areas.

It has an oil heater.. and wondering wether to get gas connected for gas heater in sitting room, and eventually gas in kitchen, or a split system.

1) It may take about 5 weeks to get gas connected, there is natural gas in the street. So a bit of fiddling around.. meanwhile may turn tenants off with no heating.. as bloody cold in winter in Cooma.

or do I just..

2) Install electric split system? more costly I know..

Any advise helpful.. thanks

Apologies if there is already a thread about this.. please post in the link if there is one..
THANKYOU

 

[Doovalacky]

After having a tenant damage the gas fitting creating a leak in my first IP I am very much against non permanent gas heating.
I was extremely lucky that only some paint, carpet and eyebrows were damaged.

Electric split takes care of both cooling/heating. Most people seem to expect there to be an aircon these days.

I would leave the gas to you upgrade the kitchen.

 

[wylie]

There was a segment on heating on the Today show last week. Turns out split systems were the cheapest to run. I don't know if they compared ALL types of heating, and I do recall Rumpled Elf saying that in really cold places a split system will not work.

I remember staying overnight in Cooma on the way to the snow when I was in my early 20s. We couldn't hose the ice off the car because the water was frozen in the tap and hose.

It was bl00dy freezing.

 

[Sez]

Both options are going to be attractive to potential tenants, tenants expect air con in summer which the split system will cover but they also like gas heating.

Depending on the lay out of the property perhaps consider installing two split systems as they aren't all that effective in EXTREMELY cold houses on their own.

 

[RumpledElf]

Reverse cycle aircon doesn't work well below about 5 degrees. It works by sucking heat out of the air outside and if there's no heat outside, whaddayaexpect

We always know when it is cold because the aircon stops working and the error light blinks at us insistently.

I'm currently very half-heartedly working on a solar heater, which will be backed up by gas. Half-hearted because our house is coming in August and there's hardly any point going nuts installing heating at the end of winter.

 

[Graingrower]

Reverse cycle aircon doesn't work well below about 5 degrees. It works by sucking heat out of the air outside and if there's no heat outside, whaddayaexpect

Very enlightening, I never knew that. But then I've never owned an aircon, so never really thought about it. It's obvious when you look at the name 'reverse cycle' and we all know that they emit hot air when running flat out.

Considering the limitations, where does a reverse cycle shine? If you live in Cooma then you are going to need some supplimentry heating, but does a reverse cycle still have a place?

 

[Peter 14.7]

Gas is best for cold but must be in the ground to cost less.

Split systems don't work in cold parts of Vic.

Ask your agent what the tenants want. I.E. in Sydney gas heating is a waste.

Peter

 

[RumpledElf]

Considering the limitations, where does a reverse cycle shine? If you live in Cooma then you are going to need some supplimentry heating, but does a reverse cycle still have a place?

Yeah, spring/autumn and summer. When its not freezing

Its not as cold here as my last house, we only get frosty days here every so often and we've only had the pipes freeze twice. My old house the reverse cycle was a waste of space for more than half the year and the pipes would freeze almost every day in winter. We had a wood fire and would go through wood by the tonne. Amazing the difference 35km and different geography makes.

 

[AlmostBob]

and I do recall Rumpled Elf saying that in really cold places a split system will not work.

it would have to be really cold for it not to work at all, works down to minus 20 here

 

[RumpledElf]

What brand? Panasonic and whatever I had at the last house doesn't work below +5.

Heat pump water heaters also don't work in cold weather and that's the same technology.

Edit: I can't find anything via google. Just lots of people saying their reverse cycle aircons cut out around 3-5 degrees, which is exactly what I see.

http://theblokeyshed.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-3127.html

Edit again: got it. Ones for cold climates have an inbuilt heater to stop them freezing up so they can keep working. I'd imagine the vast, vast majority of Australian airconditioners don't have the extra heater. So there you go, you can buy one but you're probably going to need to order in something special, same way you have to cough up $300 extra on a solar water heater so it'll work in cold weather.

 

[JDog]

Hi ,
Thanks for all the comments/advise.

Apparently Daikin are good systems for cold climates, with a de-froster. However, I understand that while the system is de-frosting it decreases the heat coming through into the house....

I spoken to a builder and dealer in Cooma. Builder recommended Daikin.... Local Retra Vision shop did not (because they dont sell them!?!)

At this stage I am thinking of going with flued gas heater, to replace the hole where the oil heater will be taken out... and a Daiken reverse cycle. Will get gas connection done for Kitchen and hot water at the same time. However will hold off on upgrading kitchen and hot water till needed /$$.

This heating will only be in sitting room though... leaving heating in bedrooms to the tenant.. which I think is pretty normal. Well that it what I have done in all the homes I have rented.!!