There is no single best heating system. Each one suits a different home and budget. This is a straight comparison, including where hydronic heating is not the best choice.
| Hydronic floor (heat pump) | Ducted heating | Split systems | Electric radiators and panels | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How it heats | Warm floor, radiant | Hot air through ceiling or floor vents | Hot air from a wall unit | Electric element, warm surface and air |
| Heat per kWh of electricity | About 3.5 | 3 to 4 (reverse cycle), or gas | About 3 to 5 | 1 |
| Comfort | Even, warm feet, silent | Warm air rises; draughts at vents | Fast, but blows air | Warm near the heater |
| Noise in the room | None | Fan and vent noise | Fan noise | Silent |
| Cooling | No (heating only) | Yes (reverse cycle) | Yes | No |
| Upfront cost | Highest | High | Low to medium | Lowest |
| Running cost | Low | Low (reverse cycle) to medium (gas) | Low | High |
| Visible in the room | Nothing | Vents | A wall unit per room | A panel per room |
Typical figures; they vary by model and outdoor temperature.
A split system is itself a heat pump, so it is cheap to run and also cools. The trade-offs are a wall unit in every room, fan noise, warm air that rises and dries, and cold feet in tall or draughty rooms.
Ducted heating serves the whole house from one unit. Hot air from ceiling vents rises and pools at the ceiling, ducts in a cold roof space lose heat, and gas ducted heating carries gas prices and supply charges.
They are simple and silent, but every kWh of heat costs a full kWh of electricity. At 40.7 c/kWh, and assuming a heat pump averages a COP of about 3.5, that is about three and a half times the running cost of a heat pump.
The whole floor becomes a gentle heater, so rooms are even from floor to head height, with nothing on the walls, no air blown around and no noise. With a heat pump, it is also among the cheaper systems to run.
When it isn’t the best choice: a mild climate, a single room, a home that mainly needs cooling, or a tight budget where a split system covers it.
Yes, and many homes do. A heated floor for winter comfort, plus a split system or two for summer cooling, is a common pairing.
Many people find it more comfortable, and it is quieter. Ducted gives cooling as well, if you need it from the same system.
They are similar: both use heat pumps. Hydronic may feel comfortable at a slightly lower thermostat setting, because it heats people and surfaces rather than just the air.
The panels can be laid by a builder, carpenter or flooring installer, following HOYA Ondol’s installation instructions and the panel and pipe layout designed for your floor, working with your hydronic installer. Manifold, heat pump or boiler connections must be made by a licensed plumber, and electrical work by a licensed electrician. In some states, laying the heating pipe itself is also licensed plumbing work, so check with your installer. Warranty requires licensed connections. This does not limit your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.
Send your plans and we’ll tell you honestly whether floor heating is the right fit.
