Future NRG
Energy Saving Technology
Solar Power Systems and Panels
Shepparton, Echuca, Geelong
Hydronic Heating
Hydronic heating is completely silent, flexible and comfortable. Reduce your energy bill with a hydronic heating solution.
Hyrdonic Heating Specialists
Hydronic Heating is estimated to be up to 35% more cost effective than running a central ducted heating system.
Reduce your carbon footprint and enjoy completely luxurious heating when you choose to install a hydronic heating system. Not only is hydronic heating completely silent, flexible and comfortable, but it is also estimated to be up to 35% more cost effective than running a central ducted heating system.
A clean, safe, and zero-allergen central heating system, Hydronic Heating and Cooling systems operate at low water temperatures, reducing operating costs to a minimum. Radiant energy emitted by the floor is partly reflected by each surface and partly absorbed. Where it is absorbed, that surface becomes a secondary emitter. After a while, all surfaces become secondary emitters. Furnishings themselves radiate energy and the room becomes evenly and uniformly warmed or cooled.
Floor Construction Options:
Slab
Screed
Suspended Floor
Minitec System (Shallow Screed):
Heat Source:
Natural Gas & LPG Boiler
Air to Water Heat Pump
Wood Pellet Boiler
Diesel Boiler
Electric Boiler
Heating Running Costs
200m2 Home @20Kw heat load, operating for 8 hours a day for 120 days a year:
Annual Cost
$1,540.33
Cost per/KW
$0.079
Heat Pump
Annual Cost
$1,736.19
Cost per/KW
$0.080
Natural Gas
Annual Cost
$2,191.49
Cost per/KW
$0.110
Wood Pellet
Annual Cost
$2,514.20
Cost per/KW
$0.130
Diesel
Annual Cost
$3,830.52
Cost per/KW
$0.199
LPG
Annual Cost
$4,992.00
Cost per/KW
$0.260
Electric
The most economical and efficient means of heating
Underfloor hydronic radiant heat systems are closely aligned with the ‘optimum heat curve’ as defined by the heating industry, making it the most economical and efficient means of heating.
Future NRG is proud to provide a wide range of specialist energy-efficient boilers and products that have extremely low gas emissions and constant temperature monitoring capabilities to ensure your system is operating at its highest possible efficiency.
Hydronic Heating Distinct Advantages
- Reduced allergy symptom – Hydronic systems don’t use ductwork or blowing air that can spread dust, germs, viruses, allergens and pet dander that trigger symptoms.
- Very quiet – Apart from a water heater or boiler firing, hydronic heating works without a lot of noise.
- Good for new construction – Hydronic systems can be installed without adding ductwork, vents or registers them a great choice for new construction.
- Easier to control separate zones – Multiple thermostats and control valves can be installed for efficient zone heating.
- Lower energy consumption – Hydronic heat feels warmer at lower thermostat settings partially because the air doesn’t blow the way it does with an air handler.
- Efficient – It takes less energy to circulate water than blow hot air so hydronic systems are more energy efficient than air systems.
- No Heat Loss – Heat produced by a hydronic system doesn’t get lost while traveling through ductwork.
- No Filters – These systems don’t require air filters because they don’t produce blowing air.
- Warms Floors – Radiant floor hydronic systems provide an extra level of comfort by heating the floor and other surfaces.
- Design Flexibility – Tubing can be run in areas with limited airflow and zone valves can be used to heat specific areas.
Talk to a Hydronic Heating specialist!
Future NRG Hydronic Heating designs and solutions can be tailored for any Australian home, including existing or new, single or multi-storey homes, with suspended floor requirements or secondary pour systems. Once you’ve experienced the comfort of Hydronic Heating, you’ll be converted for life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hydronic heating uses hot water to heat your home and is one of the most efficient and versatile forms of heating. Also referred to as radiant heating, a hydronic heating system circulates heated water through sealed pipes to underfloor heating systems, trench convectors, panel radiators, or heated towel rails.
Thermostats may also be used to direct certain temperatures to different heating zones within the home and may be programmed to switch on and off at certain times of the day. Hydronic heating is believed to be one of the most comfortable forms of heating because it heats objects in the room, rather than the air. This results in an even and consistent distribution of non-drying heat, with no cold spots or fluctuations in temperature.
Water is heated in a boiler and then distributed quickly around the house through piping in the walls. It then travels into panel radiators which are installed in each room and then transferred out into the air spreading evenly around the room. Or in the case of floor heating the water is distributed around coils of piping under a concrete slab which then heats the whole surface area.
The boilers may be fuelled by a variety of sources including gas, electricity, wood, biofuels. Boilers with low-water content are the most efficient. No matter what your local fuel source is, there will be a boiler that is suitable for your home.
Radiators also come in a diverse range of styles and materials, from the traditional steel panels, to the latest aluminium or cast iron designer panels. At Fosters we have an extensive range of designer radiators offering elegant and unique shapes, size and materials to suit any space.
Hydronic heating offers a large array of design choices to accommodate different buildings types, sizes, and individual taste, needs, usage, and budget. Systems can be installed easily into new or existing houses with full or partial installation of homes available.
Water is an excellent conductor of heat, which is why hydronic heating is so efficient. In a hydronic system, heat is transferred into the room via thermal radiation.
Thermal radiation is the transfer of heat through the air in the form of electromagnetic radiation waves. In hydronic heating, heat emitters such as wall-mounted radiators, underfloor coils and heated towel rails emit radiant heat to warm the room. Because radiant heat is absorbed by objects, it cannot be blown away or moved.
Similarly, in trench convectors, a special panel installed inside the trench is heated by the system’s hot water. As cold air from the room falls into the trench, it is heated by the panel and rises back into the room through the trench’s grilles. As with the other hydronic heat emitters, no hot air is blown out – it is simply the hot air rising from the heated panel.
Adding battery storage to your system means that instead of feeding that unused power out, the excess energy produced by your panels during the day will now be available to directly power your home and appliances at night, or at any other time your panels are dormant.
You will be using more of the energy you have freely generated and buying only minimal amounts of electricity overall from the grid. You can still earn credit on your power bills, as when your battery is full the solar system will supply the remainder of unused energy to the grid.
The entire system is powered by a boiler or a heat pump. Boilers heat water that is then piped through a closed loop system throughout the home. Different boilers will have different running and installation costs, depending on the fuel they require and their level of efficiency. The boiler you choose for your new system will depend on a number of factors, including whether your home has access to natural gas, the layout of your home, and your budget.
A hydronic heating system generally consists of five components:
- The boiler, which heats water to a thermostatically controlled temperature. Boilers can use a range of fuels, including natural gas, LPG, off-peak electricity, diesel, or wood pellets.
- The piping, which is usually made of copper or plastic, or a multilayered composite. The piping carries the heated water from the boiler to the radiators, convectors or underfloor heating coils, and back again for reheating.
- A pump, which circulates the water through the piping.
- Radiators, convectors or the underfloor heating system, which transfer the heat into the room. Several types of radiators and convectors are available. The types you install will depend on the layout of your home and your budget.
- A programmable wall thermostat, which controls the heat levels or room temperature to optimise comfort throughout the house. Thermostats can also provide zone control, meaning you can heat just the rooms you’re using and can set different temperatures across different zones.
With servicing of your hydronic system as per manufacturer’s guidelines, hydronic heating is one of the safest options for climate control for your home.
The water in hydronic heating systems is always well below boiling point and surface areas on radiators and towel rails will not burn or scald little hands.
If you opt for underfloor heating or trench hydronic heating systems, the surface temperature is comfortable and controlled by thermostats. Like ducted heating, there are no electrical connections, which further reduces any safety concern.
Add to that the fact there has been a huge uptake of household solar in Australia which has caused a fall in the feed-in tariff. In the early days of solar, the feed-in tariffs (the money you make from feeding your excess solar-generated power back to the grid) were very attractive to encourage early adoption of solar.
Australia now has the highest uptake of solar in the world, with around 30% of households having rooftop solar. As such, these days you aren’t going to make much money if at all from feed-in tariffs, so it makes a heap of economic sense to invest in battery storage to harness and store that valuable energy for when you need it. This is when the sun goes down and everyone is back at home.
A hydronic heating system can be 35 percent more cost effective to run in comparison to ducted systems.
While the initial installation cost for a hydronic system may be a higher investment than a ducted system, the ongoing running costs for hydronic are lower and a big reason it is chosen over ducted systems. In either case, it pays to have quality insulation throughout your home.
There are several factors to take into account when costing the installation of a hydronic system, including:
- Size of your home.
- Which hydronic heating products you want to use.
- If you are wanting underfloor heating, what kind of flooring (in existing homes).
- If it’s a new build, extension or retrofit.
Hydronic heating can have ‘thermal efficiency’ of up to 90%, compared to forced air options, which can be below 50%.
Extra energy efficiency heating points are scored by using a condensing boiler, which extracts heat that would generally escape via water vapour. The heat is recycled to pre-heat the water before it makes its journey back to the boiler.
Compared to other home heating system options, hydronic heating is hands down the best choice when it comes to caring for everyone’s home – mother earth.
On average, 40% of the energy we use at home is for heating and cooling – and this doesn’t include heating hot water. Your choice of heating system will have a large impact on your home’s carbon footprint.
Hydronic heating offers the lowest greenhouse gas emissions compared to other home heating system options, and lower energy bills.