From Underfloor Heating to a Gas Fireplace: How We Made Our Sydney Home Cosier

 

Jack Russell Milo sitting beside a modern built-in gas fireplace in our Sydney home
Milo enjoying his favourite warm spot beside our new gas fireplace


From Underfloor Heating to a Gas Fireplace: How We Made Our Sydney Home Cosier

Winter in Sydney may be mild compared with many parts of the world, but uninsulated brick homes and chilly mornings can still leave living spaces feeling surprisingly cold. When winter arrived, we wanted our main living area to feel warm, welcoming, and comfortable without having to plan our heating hours far in advance.

Before renovating our home, we relied on underfloor heating throughout our main living spaces. While the gentle warmth beneath our feet was lovely on cold mornings, using it as the main heat source for a large living area wasn't practical for our daily routine. It lacked convenient manual control, took hours to warm up the room, and retained heat for so long that turning it off didn't cool the house down when needed.


Finding the Right Spot for Underfloor Heating

This doesn't mean underfloor heating is a poor system—in fact, we still have underfloor heating in our bathrooms, and it is fantastic! Stepping onto warm tiles in a compact, enclosed room on a freezing Sydney morning is pure luxury.

However, trying to heat an entire high-traffic living area with underfloor heating created a few challenges:

  • Overheating: On milder winter afternoons, the floor retained so much thermal mass that the living room remained uncomfortably warm long after the heating timer turned off.

  • Slow Response Time: If an unexpected cold snap hit in the evening, we had to wait hours before feeling any noticeable warmth in the main room.

Instead of running underfloor heating throughout the whole house, we realized that keeping it isolated to the bathroom while using a fast-acting heat source in the living room was a far better, more efficient setup for our home.


Switching to a Wall-Mounted Gas Fireplace

When we renovated our main living space, we decided to replace the living room underfloor heating with a built-in, wall-mounted gas fireplace.



Wall opening and metal flue ducting prepared for a built-in gas fireplace
Preparing the wall structure and external flue connection during the initial installation phase.




Long gas fireplace fitted inside a timber support frame during home renovation
The fireplace frame built into place before enclosing the wall surround.


 

The installation required careful structural planning. Licensed installers prepared an opening for the external flue, positioned the fireplace unit securely, and constructed a timber frame around it. The surround was then sheeted and plastered to create a seamless, modern feature wall.

Watching the installation progress from exposed ducting and framing to a finished, sleek fireplace was one of the most rewarding parts of our home renovation.

.

Built-in fireplace surround covered and prepared for its final smooth finish
The fireplace surround taking shape before final painting



Heating Comparison: Underfloor Heating vs. Gas Fireplace

FeatureUnderfloor Heating (Bathroom & Tiled Zones)Wall-Mounted Gas Fireplace (Living Area)
Heat-Up TimeSlow (requires time to warm up tiles)Fast (instant heat on demand)
Temperature ControlHigh thermal retentionImmediate adjustments via remote or manual controls
Best ApplicationBathrooms, en-suites & small tiled spacesOpen-plan living rooms & active social areas
AtmosphereInvisible, cosy floor warmthVisible flame focal point for the whole room

Why the New Setup Works Better for Our Family

Combining targeted underfloor heating in the bathroom with a gas fireplace in the living room gave us the best of both worlds.

  1. Instant Living Room Warmth: We can turn the fireplace on the moment the living room feels chilly, warming the entire room rapidly without pre-scheduling timers.

  2. Easy Regulation: Once the living space reaches a comfortable temperature, we can turn the flame down or switch it off immediately.

  3. Flued Safety: Our fireplace is a flued model, meaning all combustion gases are vented directly outdoors rather than into our living space.


A Cosier Heart of the Home


Completed horizontal gas fireplace with decorative logs and white built-in surround
The finished fireplace brought both warmth and a focal point to our living room


Beyond practical heating, the long horizontal fireplace transformed the feel of our home. Even set on low, the soft glow of the flames creates a relaxing atmosphere on cold evenings.

Of course, the family member who loves it most is our Jack Russell, Milo. The moment the fireplace clicks on, Milo immediately finds his favorite spot on the floor nearby and settles in for the night.


Jack Russell Milo sitting beside a modern built-in gas fireplace in our Sydney home
Milo enjoying his absolute favorite warm spot in the house

 

Restricting underfloor heating to the bathroom and installing a wall-mounted gas fireplace in the living room was the best renovation decision for our home. Every house and lifestyle is different, but finding the right balance between targeted warmth and fast, controllable heat made our Sydney living space far more comfortable throughout winter.


Safety & Compliance Note: This article reflects our personal home renovation experience and should not be taken as professional trade advice. Gas appliances must always be installed and serviced by appropriately licensed gasfitters in accordance with local regulations, ventilation codes, and manufacturer instructions.


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