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Heat transfer kits and installation - can any one offer any suggestions?

Hello,

Has anyone tried installing these kits themselves and would you recommend it or would I need a professional? Does anyone know where to look for an installer, one quote I had was $600.00 to install. I am looking at a 2 room transfer kit to take the heat from the lounge fire to the bedrooms that get no heat and have a moisture and mold problem for the last 2 or so years. I have been told that it is best to buy a transfer kit with the thermostat that switches on when it reaches a certain teperature.

Any recommendations or knowledge from past experience would be greatly appreciated. 🙂

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Accepted answers

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @wellmakeitok. It's wonderful that you've joined us and many thanks for your question.

Although installing the vents and ducting for a heat transfer kit is a common D.I.Y. project, @redracer01 touches on some great points. It really comes down to how confident you are with entering the roof space and the amount of room you have to work in. As mentioned, it's never nice having to crawl around in insulation trying to squeeze ducting between roof timbers. If that price includes having the fan and thermostat wired up professionally, it sounds like a pretty good deal. Even if you installed the kit yourself, you'd still need to pay for an electrician to do the wiring.

I look forward to following along with the project and hearing about your results once the kit is installed.

Mitchell

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redracer01

Hello @wellmakeitok

Welcome to Bunnings Workshop and thank you for sharing your query with the community. As much as I would like to say that the DIY heat transfer kits are DIY friendly they do miss a few points on installation when I last installed mine in NZ. Some units specially the ones with temperature modules and thermostat controllers were just a bit beyond me and I had to ask a mate who's a sparky to help me install it. He also had to hard wire it for me as I was not a registered electrician. Crawling through the ceiling cavity with fiberglass insulation and electric wires hanging about was not my idea of easy DIY. So is it worth getting a sparky to install it? Short answer is yes, not only are you covered for the work, but should anything go wrong and you get asked by insurance agency who installed it you can confidently say that it was professionally done. I suggest getting more than one quote to give yourself and idea of the going rate in your area. Oh and the number one reason I got him to install it, he had all the proper tools and gear to get the job done. It was a fair exchange as the following week he asked me to connect his fridge to the cold line of his house. Let me tag @MitchellMc as he might have more ideas and perhaps he might know of a community member who has done some recent heat transfer kit installations.

Cheers,

Red

wellmakeitok

Thank you very much for all the information and I found it interesting to read. A electrician it sounds like that is a great idea one who wont mind climbing about in the ceiling. Thanks again

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @wellmakeitok. It's wonderful that you've joined us and many thanks for your question.

I look forward to following along with the project and hearing about your results once the kit is installed.

Mitchell

wellmakeitok

I can not imagine many electricians like crawling around in the ceilings amongst batts insulation and rat droppings. Thanks for the recommendation about the price It did not include the kit, unfortunately. I will post the outcome of this project when I decide what is best. I think I need to find an electrician first who will not mind installing this. Thanks for your comments

StevieB

Hi @wellmakeitok,

It's great to have you join us and wonderful to see that you've already received helpful advice in the Workshop community.

Let me tag @redracer01 and @MitchellMc so they are alerted to your comment.

We'd love to hear an update on this and learn about any other projects you've got planned for around the house and garden. We're always here to help with ideas, suggestions and support along the way.

Stevie

MitchellMc

Hi @wellmakeitok,

I'm not sure if you'll find an electrician that is willing to do the ductwork. I presume you will need a ducting specialist to install the ducting, vents and fan. An electrician will then be needed to wire up the fan and thermostat. If you find a ducting specialist to do the install, they might have an in-house electrician to complete the job.

Mitchell

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