Heat Your Home with a Gas Ducted Heating System

Energy & Telecom SEO Specialist

Updated on 16/11/2023

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No one likes waking up in a cold house during the winter, and choosing a proper home appliance to heat your home can make all the difference. With so many options for heating your home available; between electric and gas, total-home or just a room, underfloor, ducted, split-system or reverse-cycle, it can be hard to decide which heating system is right for you. Whether you’re comparing heating and cooling methods, or just interested in learning more about ducted gas heating, continue reading below to learn about how ducted gas heating systems might be an efficient method of keeping your home warm all winter long.

What is ducted gas heating?

Gas ducted heating is a simple process. Air is drawn from inside the home, which is then heated in a gas furnace and blown through air ducts to vents - or outlets - located throughout your home. A thermostat connected to your ducted heating system is used to control the temperature.

Gas furnaces are powered by either natural gas, which is the most common, or liquified petroleum gas, which is less commonly used. Air is drawn into this furnace and passed over a heat exchanger where it’s warmed in a process known as gas combustion.

Unlike other home heating systems, the air is circulated throughout the house and returned to the furnace again. This means the outside weather does not have a significant impact on how warm your home can get.

Compare gas ducted heating prices

Purchasing and installing a gas ducted heating system is not cheap, and the size of your house, the energy efficiency of the system, and whether you want to add an air conditioning unit to your system, will all affect how much you pay upfront. In general, you can expect to pay between $2,500 to $10,000 for a gas ducted heating system in a mid-to-large size home with four or more bedrooms, or over $12,000 if you want to include cooling.

Gas ducted heating system price (installation)
Description of gas ducted system	Cost for gas ducted heating system
8.0kw ducted reverse cycle air conditioning unit (which also includes heating) installed up to 6 points	$5,400
4.7 star 18.kw gas unit installed to 6 points	$7,999
5.8 star 10.0 kw gas unit installed to 6 points	$8,999

Source: Mannix - Cost of Central Ducted Heating

While it might be cheaper to upfront to purchase a less efficient gas ducted heating system, choosing one at least 6-stars or more could save you hundreds of dollars per year off your energy bill.

Running costs for ducted gas heating systems

The average Australian household spends approximately 40% of their annual energy bill on heating and cooling alone. If you’re interested in a gas-ducted heating system, you might want to consider how expensive this heating system is. It’s important to remember that there are many factors that go into the annual cost of running a gas ducted heating system, some of which include:

Insulation in your home
Size of your home
Energy efficiency of your heating system

Gas ducted heating system annual running costs
House size	Energy-star rating	Annual energy cost
Small house 100m2	3 star	$835
	4 star	$735
	6 star	$635
Medium house 160m2	3 star	$1,250
	4 star	$1,095
	6 star	$950
Large house 220m2	3 star	$1,645
	4 star	$1,445
	6 star	$1,250

Source: Sustainability Victoria

While these costs might seem high, it’s easy to implement some ways to ensure your home is as efficient as possible when it comes to heating. If you’re looking to reduce the energy you use while heating and cooling your home while reducing your energy bill you can:

Ensure your home is properly insulated
Replace your windows with double, or triple-glazed options
Weatherize your home to prevent air leaks

Reduce your energy bills Check out Selectra’s tips and tricks to save energy and reduce your bill to find more ways to keep electricity and gas costs low

Pros and cons of ducted heating

Choosing whether you want to install a gas ducted heating system in your home is no small decision. They’re expensive upfront, and installing them into an existing property can be disruptive. However, they can be an efficient way to heat multiple rooms in a large house, and with a smart thermostat you can have even more control over which rooms get warm and when.

Advantages and disadvantages of gas ducted heating systems
Benefits of gas ducted heating systems	Disadvantages of gas ducted heating systems
Efficient to heat large homes at once Cheaper running costs when compared to electric heating Can include air conditioning systems as well Quickly heats up a room or space “Smart” models can control the temperature in various zones of your house Can be combined with other gas appliances (like boilers) to save money Ducts can be use for dryer vent	Expensive upfront costs Less energy efficient than hydronic heating Still expensive due to the significant amount of gas needed to operate Can spread dust and other allergens Uneven air temperature in large rooms Regular maintenance must be done by a licensed technician

Gas ducted heating and cooling: How do I get both heating and cooling in my home?

Gas ducted heating systems, as their name indicates, only heat your home. However, it is possible to add-on a cooling system to your current heating, which will use the same ducts to distribute cold air during the summer and then warm air during the winter.

An add-on cooling system works by installing a condensing unit onto your home, usually outside on the roof or the side of the house. This condensing unit works like a refrigerator to cool the air. The unit is connected to your gas ducted heating system, which then utilises the same ducts to distribute cold air throughout your home.

If you already have gas ducted heating, you’ll need to make sure your current system is compatible with a cooling add-on. However, if you’re considering an all-in-one heating and cooling system for a new property or renovating your current home climate-control system, this could be an attractive choice.

While ducted evaporative coolers can be added to your ducted gas heating system, for year-round temperature control a reverse-cycle air conditioning system might be a more practical choice.

Read more about home appliance with our guides to: entertainment devices, washing machines, and dishwashers.