Is it cheaper to use a 2500kw Oil heating, than Gas Central Heating?

Edelman

We noticed our Gas usage was higher.  We have a two storey house.  In the study which is the smaller upstairs room is a 2000kw Oil Filled radiator, as upstairs is always colder.

That heats the room in about 20 mins.  Works very well, silently of course.

During the day I spend less time downstairs than the weekend.
So I thought about setting the Thermo (which is downstairs and not near a door) from 20 down to 19C during the day, but you do go down there to make Tea.  Watch a bit of telly.
There is a door between downstairs and the stairs, so heating doesn't just disperse up the stairs.

It is a living/dining space, with a door to the kitchen.

Question is:  is it better to leave the modern Combi boiler on, with Temp around 20C, or to switch that off, and use a 2500kw Oil Heater down there in the day, to keep the temp comfy?

Hopefully there is enough info here to help.

Veteransaver

2000kW oil heater? Wow that's powerful! It will cost you about £600 an hour.

Netexporter

A 2500 kW heater won't be cheaper! I assume you mean 2.5 kW.

Heating just one room may be cheaper, although electricity is three times more expensive per kWh than gas, at SVT rates.

There are too many variables to give a definitive answer. The way to find out is to get a smart plug to see how much the  electric heater uses over the course of a day. Then repeat the the experiment, on a day with about the same weather conditions, with the gas central heating. Read the gas meter first thing and at the end of the day and calculate how many kWh you've used. Finally multiply the kWh by the price for each fuel.

Edelman

Yes sorry I meant 2.5.  I know the variable are high on this.  Over this winter my electric hasn't gone up by much, even tho i use an oil Rad in my study from about 845 til 515.  Hence thinking one of those instead of the Central Gas Heating to run downstairs maybe better.  That being said, the downstairs has the two Radiators... so they would generate more heat than one Oil Radiator... 

FreeBear

Often, bedrooms are spec'd for a temperature of 18-19°C and a smaller radiator would be fitted. If the room isn't heating up fast enough or high enough for your liking, then fitting a larger radiator is the answer.

Using the online calculator from Stelrad, a 3x4m bedroom would need ~1KW of radiator, yet a study or lounge requires ~1.4KW - Quite a difference !

mumf

Heating individual rooms can be done in several ways. No doubt that the frequent members here will criticise my comment,but here goes. We have small rooms,with doors .Its not a Southern Spain design like many have now with tiles and open rooms - the reason so many complain of the fuel costs - just like our neighbour who has that design and wears shorts,vest and flip flops year round - and complains of fuel cost🤣

  Ours has curtains,carpets,rugs and doors. For almost thirty years ,both living rooms had solid fuel. Around the house,electric radiators ( modern ,wall mounted) and a couple of mobile oil radiators too ( as previously mentioned). 

  Since I became very ill,we have removed the fire places and done away with the multi fuel stoves. It saves my dear wife the task of cleaning etc. as I cannot deal with it anymore. Whilst *I* acquired free logs etc. my wife cannot when I am no longer here. Nor can she lift,chainsaw etc.Another big issue is the cost of smokeless solid fuel. In mid Winter we use an average of £25 worth per week,along with free wood. Current prices. We replaced the stoves with electric versions! 

  Now we don’t use the heating very much at all upstairs. Even in Winter,my wife likes fresh air! When we sleep,we have good bedding! We tend to heat downstairs from mid afternoon onwards,unless it is perishing ,then it is turned on - like now. The fan- based *log * electric stove soon warms us up. My wife has just knocked it down to the 1kw from 2. When the cat moves,you know it’s warm enough!
   So with our electricity we cook, heat water, and use tumble drier after washing machine. Now we heat. It is costing us a very regular £40 per week. Then there is the standing charge of just shy of £4.00 per week and 5% vat. So a total of about £46 per week charge in a house that uses only electricity! And that is Winter. Our daughters have gas central heating that cost around £2 per HOUR! They too have got an oil based electric heater to heat their living room. 👍

So that’s our house. It won’t suit some,but it does suit us.