Gas Fire or Central Heating?

janninew

Hi

Wondered if somebody could help me and reassure my sister.

My younger sister lives alone in a small flat, it has gas central heating and a small gas fire. She is struggling with bills and is worried about her gas useage. She asked me if it would be cheaper to have the central heating on to heat the flat or use the gas fire? She can't easily get to her meter, the LL has the key so checking meter readings isn't an option at the moment.

I feel that the gas fire would be the cheaper option and just heat the living room, its just a standard gas fire (living flame I think with the fake coals!) I have no idea of the cost though as I have a wood burner. How much roughly would it cost to just have the gas fire on in the evenings (she's at work all day). Just to add, she is on a well priced online tariff (EDF Saver 7 - I think)

Thanks for any help given.

HappyMJ

It will be slightly cheaper using just the gas fire but the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen will be cold so in the long run it's better just using the central heating. It's much more efficient and not that much more expensive.

Barneysmom

When I loved on my own I just used the gas fire, and slept in the living room as it was much warmer than the nasty cold and lonely bedroom in the winter. I never left the fire on at night though.

janninew

Barneysmom wrote: »

When I loved on my own I just used the gas fire, and slept in the living room as it was much warmer than the nasty cold and lonely bedroom in the winter. I never left the fire on at night though.

I suggested that to her, she has a sofa bed in the front room for when her friends stop over! I suppose for the next few weeks when its really cold, she could have the gas fire on and just heat the living room and sleep in there. The central heating doesn't seem to be very effective, but the gas fire keeps the front room nice and toasty!

amcluesent

>living flame I think with the fake coals<

No very efficient IMHO. The best gas fires are the old skool ones with ceramic panels which look they belong in the classroom

janninew

amcluesent wrote: »

>living flame I think with the fake coals<

No very efficient IMHO. The best gas fires are the old skool ones with ceramic panels which look they belong in the classroom

What does not very efficient mean in terms of cost? I actually have no clue how much (roughly) it would cost to keep a gas fire on for a few hours!

Owain_Moneysaver

janninew wrote: »

What does not very efficient mean in terms of cost? I actually have no clue how much (roughly) it would cost to keep a gas fire on for a few hours!

Decorative flame effect fires have efficiencies as low as 30%, so if it's a 3 kW input fire, about 1kW heats the room and 2kW goes up the chimney.

A radiant fire has efficiency 60-70% so if it's a 3kW input fire about 2kW heats the room and 1kW goes up the chimney.

British Gas Standard Tariff for gas is 7p per kWh Tier 1, 3.5p per kWh Tier Two.

Per kWh, electricity is about 3x the price of gas (22p/10p British Gas standard tariff) but an electric convector heater is 100% efficient, so cheaper than a decorative fire but a bit more expensive than a radiant fire. however, most electric heaters have a thermostat so the room doesn't get over-heated.

Also please note.

Gas fires are not normally room sealed, they draw combustion air from the room and if they go wrong can leak carbon monoxide back into the room. It is not allowed to install or use an open flued appliance in any room used as a bedroom, because of the risk. Sleeping in a room with a gas fire on could be very dangerous.

Barneysmom

ooops me and my typos!
I just realised I wrote 'When I loved on my own'
instead of lived on my own :rotfl: