Home Heating Systems Wellington
Wellington winters aren’t kind to under-heated homes. Strong southerlies, high wind chill, and older housing stock mean the difference between a warm house and a miserable one is often the heating system — not the temperature outside.
Southern has been installing home heating across Wellington since 1982 — gas, radiator central, heat pump, solid fuel, solar. 40+ years, ~29,000 jobs. We help you pick the right system for your home layout, insulation level, and running-cost budget.
Call 0800 484 353 for a free on-site assessment.
What Heats a Wellington Home Best?
There’s no single best answer — it depends on your layout, your gas connection, your insulation, and your running-cost tolerance. Here’s the rough map:
- Gas central heating — ducted warm air across the whole house, fast response, great for open-plan
- Radiator central heating — room-by-room control, quiet, works with older villa layouts
- Heat pumps — cheapest per-kWh, works best in well-insulated spaces
- Wood burners and pellet stoves — cheap fuel, great radiant heat for one living area
- Electric panel and radiant heaters — bedroom top-up only; expensive for whole-home heating
We’ll walk through your place and tell you what actually makes sense.
Gas Central & Radiator Heating
Central heating is the quiet upgrade that transforms a cold Wellington house. You walk in the door, every room is warm — no shuffling heaters between spaces.
- Gas ducted central heating — single boiler, warm air ducted to every room, zoned thermostats
- Gas radiator heating — hot-water radiators in each room, individually valved
- Electric and heat-pump driven radiator systems for all-electric homes
Radiant heating is usually the best heating system for both commercial spaces and larger homes — quiet, even, and no dust circulation.
We design, supply and install end-to-end. Certifying Gasfitter on staff for sign-off.
Heat Pumps, Wood Burners & Pellet Stoves
Not every home suits central heating. For single-zone or tight-budget installs, there are still great options:
- High-wall and ducted heat pumps — lowest running cost per kWh, Mitsubishi and other name-brand supply
- Wood burners — unbeatable radiant warmth, cheap fuel, full flue and compliance work
- Pellet stoves — automated fuel feed, thermostat-controlled, cleaner than a log burner
- Gas fires and energy-saver heaters — Rinnai and similar
We also handle chimney removal if you’re decommissioning an old fireplace to free up space for a new system.
Heat or Insulate — What Comes First?
Short answer — insulate first. A $10,000 heat pump in a leaky villa will cost you more over 10 years than a $4,000 heat pump in a well-insulated house. The maths is brutal:
$500/month heating cost × 6 months = $3,000/year. Over 3 years, $9,000. Good insulation typically pays for itself in 5–6 years and then saves you money every winter after that.
We’ll tell you during the site visit if there’s obvious insulation work worth doing before you commit to a heating system. Wellington’s wind chill factor means you need to insulate more than almost anywhere else in New Zealand.
Older Homes and Commercial Spaces
Older villas and bungalows: high ceilings, single-glazed windows, minimal underfloor insulation. A single heat pump won’t cut it. Radiator central heating or zoned ducted systems tend to work best — quiet, even, and you can heat only the rooms you’re using.
Commercial buildings: warehouses, retail, offices, workshops. Radiant gas heating is usually the most cost-effective answer for large open spaces because it heats people and surfaces directly, not cubic metres of air.
We design and install commercial heating systems across Wellington, the Hutt Valley, Kapiti and Porirua — including after-hours installs to avoid trading disruption.
Why Southern for Home Heating
Most heating companies sell you one system and fit it. We have plumbers, gasfitters and electricians on staff, so we can fit whatever actually suits your house.
- Certifying Gasfitter on staff — gas systems self-certified, no third-party wait
- Licensed electricians in the same team — no subcontractor handoffs for heat pump wiring
- Master Plumbers Guarantee — 25+ year members
- Fixed-price quotes in writing before work starts
- SuperGold discount — mention when you book
- Your Job On Time, or It’s Free
Request a free quote or call 0800 484 353.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Per kWh delivered, heat pumps usually win. But in a leaky older home, a well-insulated wood burner can beat a heat pump on running cost. For whole-home warmth, gas or electric radiator central heating is often the cheapest long-term once insulation is sorted.