Gas ducted heating service and replacement in Warragul
Gas ducted heating in Warragul: two-yearly servicing with a CO test, like-for-like heater replacement, checking a gasfitter's licence, and what owners can keep.
A gas ducted heater is a central furnace, in the roof space, under the floor or against an outside wall, that heats the house through ducts and floor or ceiling vents. If you own your Warragul home and want to keep gas, you can service it, repair it and replace it with another gas unit. Energy Safe Victoria wants every gas heater, central units included, looked at by a qualified gasfitter no less often than once in two years, and that visit should test for carbon monoxide. Independent local gasfitters do the service or replacement and quote it themselves; this site just routes the enquiry.
Can I still replace my gas ducted heater with gas?
Yes, if you are an owner-occupier. The Victorian Government’s June 2025 announcement on gas says there are no changes to heating for owner occupiers, and the gas distributor AusNet’s summary of the new rules says owners can replace heaters with gas models if they choose. Existing gas appliances can also keep being repaired.
Rental homes are treated differently from 1 March 2027. The detail, including what happens when a rental property’s heater fails, is on the 2027 gas heating rules page for Warragul.
When is a gas ducted heater due for a service?
Book a service if any of these apply:
- It has been two years or more since the last service, or you do not know when it was last done.
- The flame looks a different colour from usual through the inspection window.
- The heater takes longer to light, cycles on and off, or shuts down before the house is warm.
- You notice new noises, a smell when it starts, or dust and soot around the vents.
- Anyone in the house gets headaches, nausea or dizziness that ease when they go outside.
- The heater is old and you are deciding whether to replace it.
- You have bought the house and have no service history.
The regulator’s gas heating safety guidance warns that central heating units can leak carbon monoxide like any other gas heater, and that a change in how the heater operates, such as the flame changing from its usual colour, needs a qualified gasfitter to inspect it. It also suggests an old heater, or one not serviced for several years, should be considered for replacement. If you suspect carbon monoxide right now, turn the heater off, get everyone outside into fresh air and call 000 in an emergency.
What does a gasfitter check on a gas ducted service?
Every gasfitter has their own checklist, but a service on a central gas heater commonly covers:
- Testing for carbon monoxide spillage with the heater running.
- Checking the burner, heat exchanger and flue for cracks, corrosion or blockages.
- Checking gas pressure and the ignition and safety shutdown controls.
- Cleaning or replacing the return air filter.
- Checking the fan, belts or motor bearings and the thermostat.
- Looking at the visible duct connections near the unit.
Ask the gasfitter to give you a written record of what was tested and the readings, so the next service can be compared against it. If they find a cracked heat exchanger or a CO reading outside limits, expect to be told not to use the heater until it is fixed or replaced. A careful gasfitter will not leave an unsafe heater running.
Who can service or replace a gas ducted heater?
Space heaters and central heaters are Type A gas appliances in Victoria, so the work needs a gasfitter licensed or registered for Type A appliance servicing. Gasfitting work is defined under Part 4 of the Plumbing Regulations 2018 and is regulated by the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC), the name the Victorian Building Authority now trades under.
Two checks before you let anyone start:
- Search the gasfitter’s name or licence number on the BPC find and check a practitioner register. It shows whether the registration or licence is current, what work it allows and any conditions.
- When they arrive, ask to see their licence card and read the classes listed on the back.
A licensed gasfitter who installs a new heater issues a compliance certificate for the gasfitting work. If the replacement also needs a new power point or wiring, that part is done by a licensed electrician.
Service, repair or replace?
| Situation | Usual path | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Heater working, last service unknown | Service with a CO test | Establishes a safe baseline and a record |
| Heater working, flame or noise changed | Service and diagnose | Changes in operation need a gasfitter to inspect |
| Ignition, fan motor or thermostat fault | Repair | These parts can usually be replaced |
| Cracked heat exchanger or CO spillage | Disconnect, then replace | A cracked exchanger can let combustion gases into the airflow |
| Heater old and parts hard to get | Get replacement quotes | A gasfitter can quote like for like, and you can compare an electric option |
If you are weighing a new gas heater against switching the house to reverse cycle, the reverse cycle vs gas ducted comparison works through that choice.
What does gas ducted heating cost?
A Melbourne price guide lists gas ducted heating, supplied and installed, at $4,000 to $11,550, GST included. The same guide lists a ducted system service at $210 to $580 per system; that row does not separate gas from reverse cycle systems, so treat it as a rough pointer for a gas service rather than a quote. Neither figure is from a provider on this site. The guide notes that if the ductwork is sound, replacing only the heater usually costs less than a full new system.
A replacement quote can move with the heater’s size and star rating, whether it sits in the roof or under the floor, access through the manhole, flue changes and whether the return air path and ducting need work. To get a price on your own heater, describe your gas ducted heater with its brand, model and location.
What about the ducts themselves?
The heater and the ducts age at different rates. Flexible ducting in a roof space can sag, split, lose insulation or be damaged by rodents, and leaking ducts waste heat into the roof. A gasfitter servicing the heater may only see the first metre or so of duct. If rooms at the end of a run stay cold or you can see torn duct in the roof, ask for the ducts to be checked as a separate job; the ductwork replacement page explains what that involves. For wall furnaces, space heaters and gas log fires rather than central systems, see gas heater servicing and safety checks.
Older gas ducted systems in Warragul homes
Ducted gas was the standard heating choice in Victorian houses for decades, so plenty of older homes around Baw Baw still have a central gas heater. Underfloor units are easier to reach in houses on stumps, while roof-mounted units need safe access through the manhole and a clear path across the ceiling joists. Tell the gasfitter in advance where the heater is and how to get to it, and clear storage away from the manhole and the return air grille. Cold, damp winters in West Gippsland mean the heater does a lot of hours, so booking the service in autumn, before the first cold snap, is sensible.
Next step
Give the brand and model from the heater’s data plate, whether it sits in the roof or under the floor, roughly how old it is and when it was last serviced. Say whether you want a two-yearly service, a fault looked at or a replacement quote, and note any changes you have noticed in the flame, noise or smell. Then book a gas ducted heater service or replacement enquiry with your suburb, and an independent licensed gasfitter can respond.
Frequently asked questions
- How often should a gas ducted heater be serviced?
Energy Safe Victoria recommends servicing every gas heater at least every two years by a qualified gasfitter, and that includes central heaters. The service should include a test for carbon monoxide leakage. If the heater is old, runs long hours through winter or has started behaving differently, getting it checked sooner is reasonable.
- Is a carbon monoxide alarm enough instead of a service?
No. Energy Safe Victoria says a CO alarm should not be treated as a substitute for proper installation and maintenance of a gas heater. An alarm can warn you after carbon monoxide is already in the house, while a service with a spillage test is meant to find the fault before that happens. Treat an alarm as a backup to regular servicing.
- My gas ducted heater is under the floor. Does that change anything?
Underfloor units are serviced the same way, but the gasfitter needs safe access through the subfloor hatch or crawl space, so tell them in advance how high the space is and whether it is dry. Underfloor ducts can be affected by damp or vermin, which is worth mentioning if rooms have started to smell musty when the heating runs.
- Can I just replace the heater and keep the existing ducts?
Often you can, if the ducting is in good condition and suits the new heater's airflow. A gasfitter or heating installer should look at the ducts before quoting a heater-only swap. Crushed, torn or poorly insulated ducting will undercut a new heater's performance, so the quote may include some duct repairs or a separate duct replacement.
- My landlord's gas ducted heater has not been checked. What applies?
Under Energy Safe Victoria's advice, the rental provider has to make sure the gas appliances get a safety check once every two years. Tenants unsure of the last visit can ask the agent for its date and a copy of the gasfitter's report. Separate heating replacement rules for rental homes start on 1 March 2027 and are covered on the site's 2027 gas rules page.