which is cheaper gas or electricity?

penrhyn

You do need to factor in the efficiency of your proposed heater. Electric will be 100% efficient wheras gas will at best be around 80% with the remainder going up the flue. So choose your gas heater with care.

macman

But even if you add 20% to the unit gas price to compensate for it's lower efficiency, electricity remains at least 250% more expensive per kWh.

oldskoo1

I think the only way electric heating can compete is with air source hearing where 1 kW is turned into around 3kW of heat?

Problem being huge initial outlay.

tberry6686

It really does depend on your current circumstances.

If in an all electric house, installing gas central heating is expensive, taking into account annual maintenance and a life span of a modern condensing boiler of about 10 years then you will be spending an average of around £500 per year before you use any gas. If you already have gas in the property and are adding a gas fire then gas will be far cheaper over time.

Contrary to popular belief, the economics of gas over electricity are not clear cut and do depend on current arrangements.

macman

OP is talking about a gas fire or an electric fire, not a full gas CH install: it's reasonable to assume they already have a main gas supply. in which case the economics of the gas fire install are not significant compared to the much cheaper running costs of gas.

amcg100

I agree with most of the replies except the cost of off peak electricity can be as low as 5.2p per Kwh hour in some areas, which is only a small increase against the cost of gas in return for 100% efficiency.
The comparisons which claim that electricity is 3 times the price will be correct for households who have gas and therefore have a single rate meter charging 11 or 12 p per Kwh.

modsandmockers

I think it also depends a bit upon the size of the household. I live alone in a 1-bedroom flat and I am extremely miserly with my utilities.

My flat has gas central heating, but I prefer to use a variety of low wattage electric heaters because I can switch them on and off as easily as switching the lights on and off. If necessary, I'll wear my dressing gown whilst waiting for the temperature to rise.

For all my hot water, except showers, I use the kettle. My gas costs for the shower are less than a pound a month because I am with Ebico for gas, and pay no standing charge. If and when there are no available gas tariffs with no standing charge, then I will install an electric shower and cancel my gas supply altogether.

Paying two lots of standing charges needs to be taken into account as well as the unit prices of the two fuels.

Owain_Moneysaver

penrhyn wrote: »

You do need to factor in the efficiency of your proposed heater. Electric will be 100% efficient wheras gas will at best be around 80% with the remainder going up the flue. So choose your gas heater with care.

Some decorative fuel effect (DFE) gas fires have efficiency as low as 20%. As well as sending hot air up the flue, cold air from outside will be drawn in through the room ventilation.

modsandmockers

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

Some decorative fuel effect (DFE) gas fires have efficiency as low as 20%. As well as sending hot air up the flue, cold air from outside will be drawn in through the room ventilation.

Similarly, if your hot tap is a long way away from the hot water tank or the combi boiler, then there is a waste of cold water whilst waiting for the hot to arrive. And when you close the tap, you leave a pipeful of expensively-heated water which will be poured cold down the drain next time you open the tap!

Nada666

amcg100 wrote: »

I agree with most of the replies except the cost of off peak electricity can be as low as 5.2p per Kwh hour in some areas, which is only a small increase against the cost of gas in return for 100% efficiency.
The comparisons which claim that electricity is 3 times the price will be correct for households who have gas and therefore have a single rate meter charging 11 or 12 p per Kwh.

Except the pendulum swings the other way again when you accommodate the efficiency losses of storage heating due to it not being able to be used only on demand.