ducted heating - which one?

[littlelara]

Hi all, our ducted heater has just gone pop, so we need a new one asap.
I usually try to do as much recon as possible before we buy stuff like this, but I coulnd't find anything on choice and now I have no idea where to look, which one to look at or where to go.
Does anyone have any ideas?
please help, we're freeeezing!!

[chrysalis]

What a bummer! It is not a cheap exercise!
We have a Brivis unit which we installed in this house (late 60s brick veneer) when we first moved in about 10 years ago (yes our ducted died the first winter after we moved in!) It was the most expensive unit at the time. The ducts remained in the floor. Whereas I think alot of the newer homes have it in the roof (which I always wonder about - if heat rises do you get the same benefits or does the heat hang around up in the roof area?)
We have been very happy with it. It was a pretty basic instal, no zones or anything like that although the unit was capable of all that our house was not really big enough to warrant it.
A friend of mind just installed a Braemar at their holiday home.
It absolutely churns out the heat which is great but OMG the unit, which was on the other side of the house to our bedroom at night is SOOO noisy. It took us a few nights to get used to it. This might be partly due to the house being weatherboard and having floorboards, you could literally hear the hot air whistling down the ducts too.
Make sure you get a couple of quotes! also inquire about adding air con to the same unit at the same time - we were students and unable to afford the extra $1500 on top of $4500 instal fee 10 years ago but i would definitely consider it now if I were installing it new!
Good luck

[littlelara]

Hi, thanks for your reply.
we ended up going with brivis too, now we just need to wait for it to come (hopefully while it's still cold; both my littlies are getting sick)
Take care
Lara

[Megan]

We just had a brivis installed a few weeks ago after our ducted heating died too. Very happy with it so far and it heats up our house from around 14 to 20 degrees in less than 10 minutes - got to love that! Our previous one didn't! It's not a cheap exercise, but I'm just happy to be warm again!