Eenergy is a family-owned Christchurch heating business. We supply, install and service pellet fires and heat pumps, and sell pellet fuel. We stock Rika and Champion pellet fires, along with Daikin and Mitsubishi Electric heat pumps. A pellet fire installation needs a building consent, and in Canterbury’s Clean Air Zones the fire must be an ECan-authorised model, so it pays to use an installer who knows the local rules. Visit our showroom at 29 Elgin Street, Sydenham, or call 03 353 0852 for a quote.

A new build is the best time to get your heating right, because flue positions, wiring and room layout can be planned before the walls go up. New homes are usually well insulated, so you need less heat than in an older house. Many owners pair two systems. A heat pump handles everyday heating and summer cooling, and a pellet fire heats the main living area with real flame and strong, steady heat. When choosing, think about how big your living spaces are, whether you want cooling, how you feel about handling fuel, and the clean-air rules where you’re building. Bring your plans to our Christchurch showroom and we’ll recommend the right size and placement and give you a quote.

Yes, in most cases, as long as you choose a model that meets your region’s clean-air rules. In Christchurch’s Clean Air Zone, on sites under 2 hectares, ultra-low emission burners are allowed into all homes, while installation of low-emission burners is not allowed. Ultra-low emission burners can be any solid fuel burner, including pellet burners, that achieves a strict real-life emission standard, and they’re allowed anywhere in Canterbury with no age restriction. An authorised ultra-low emission burner can be installed into any home without a resource consent, but you will still need a building consent. Outside Canterbury, check with your regional council. We can tell you which of our pellet fires suit your new build.

There’s no single best system. The right choice depends on your climate, the size and layout of your home, how well it’s insulated, and whether you also want cooling. Heat pumps are efficient, cheap to run in most conditions, and cool in summer. Pellet fires give automatic, thermostat-controlled heat with a real flame, and suit large open-plan living areas. In Christchurch’s urban Clean Air Zones, ultra-low emission wood burners are the only new wood burners allowed. Whatever you choose, good insulation comes first, because it makes every heater work better. Visit our showroom to see pellet fires, wood fires and heat pumps side by side.

Start with your space. Measure the rooms you want to heat and note how open-plan they are, because this decides the heat output (kW) you need. Next, consider your insulation and glazing, since a well-insulated home needs a smaller heater. Then think about how you live. Ask yourself when you need heat, whether you want summer cooling, and whether you’re happy to top up a pellet hopper. Compare running costs as well as purchase price. Check the clean-air rules for your area. Finally, ask about servicing, because every heater runs best with regular maintenance. Our team can do this assessment with you and recommend the right size and type for your home.

In most conditions a heat pump is cheaper to run per unit of heat. An industry analysis found heat pumps have the lowest operating cost and the best efficiency, with pellet fires next best, and that over their lifetime pellet fires and heat pumps are comparable. Your real costs depend on your power price, what you pay for pellets (buying by the pallet before winter is usually cheaper), how cold it gets outside, and how you run the heater. Heat pumps lose some efficiency on frosty mornings, while a pellet fire’s output stays steady. Both cost far less to run than plug-in electric heaters. We’re happy to talk through the numbers for your home.

It depends on what matters most to you. Choose a heat pump if you want the lowest running costs, summer cooling, and no fuel to buy or store. Choose a pellet fire if you want the look and feel of a real flame, strong heat for a large living area, and steady output on the coldest days, from a fuel made from wood waste. Many Canterbury homes have both: a pellet fire as the main winter heat and heat pumps for bedrooms and summer. We sell, install and service both, so we can give you an honest recommendation for your home.

Once a year, before winter.

Dry, certified wood pellets.