Erina's homes and people
Between Gosford and Terrigal
Erina sits about halfway between Gosford, 7 km west, and the Pacific Ocean at Terrigal, 6 km east, at around 32 m. Its streets were first planned in 1888.
An older population
The median age was 61 in 2021, and 45.6% of homes were owned outright. 20.1% were owned with a mortgage and 17.7% rented.
Villas, villages and life tenure
12.8% of homes were held under another tenure type, which the ABS says covers life tenure schemes and a few other arrangements. Its census dictionary says life tenure is a common arrangement in retirement villages.
Houses and townhouses
75.4% of occupied homes were separate houses, 20.2% semis, terraces or townhouses and 4.3% flats.
Cold mornings nearby
At the Bureau's Gosford station, July's mean minimum is 5.5 degrees, and the coldest on record is minus 4.2.
In a village or a villa?
If you live in a retirement village or a strata villa, check with the operator or the owners corporation before you book anyone. They may have rules on where outdoor units go, which contractors can come on site, or who pays for what. A quick call first saves a wasted visit.
In a strata scheme, a reverse cycle installation is a minor renovation in NSW and goes to a strata meeting vote. Our apartments and strata page has the detail.
Heating comes first
For most Erina homes, reverse cycle is the simplest way to heat. The ACT Government says it turns each unit of electricity into 3 to 6 units of heat, and good systems keep working well below Gosford's coldest night. It cools in summer too.
Choose controls the person using them can manage. A big-button remote or a wall controller beats an app for a lot of people. If you're replacing an old gas heater, our gas to electric page explains the switch.
What's safe to do yourself
You can
- Clean or rinse the filters as the manual says, with the unit switched off.
- Check the remote's batteries and mode before calling anyone.
- Keep the outdoor unit clear of pot plants and leaves.
Leave to a licensed installer
- Anything that needs a ladder higher than you're comfortable on.
- Electrical work, refrigerant work and cleaning inside the unit.
- Moving or replacing the outdoor unit.
What we'd do
If it were our parents' place
We'd check the village or strata rules first, then choose one well-sized reverse cycle split for the living area with a simple remote, and have it serviced every year so it doesn't fail on a cold June night. If filters are hard to reach, we'd ask the installer about a placement that makes them easy.
