Heat!!! Gas vs Electricity

if its a modern efficient aircon unit, not much in it. If its a old aircon unit or standard electric fire, gas is still quite a bit cheaper

i did the comparison this year and i tried to without gas for heating and running high efficiency elec radiators and have gone back to using gas as it is just too expensive when you consider the elec units you use and the long term (over the year) effect it has on your eco discounts....as once you exceed your eco discount allowances you lose ALL discounts. by my reckoning even using the air con units on heat its costing 50-60c per hr....our gas heating is on from 6am till 10 pm each day and altho it only lasts 4-5 days the equivalent usage of elec for ac heating is 8-10 euros per day. -so do the math....an easy decision for me to make for sure.

yep, its complicted by the eco discount, how much you use overall, and whether on domestic or residential tariff

we just had our aircon unit changed, and for the same heat output it uses about 50% of the electricity of our old aircon. Dont ask we how, but a modern aircon unit produces more heat than the calorific value of the electricity it consumes, which levels up the playing field. Also an aircon is a dehumidifier as well - humidity makes the air feel colder than it is and gas heaters produce humidity

What is clear is that an oil filled radiator or convexion heater is difinitely pricier to operate than gas

georgeingozo wrote:

yep, its complicted by the eco discount, how much you use overall, and whether on domestic or residential tariff

we just had our aircon unit changed, and for the same heat output it uses about 50% of the electricity of our old aircon. Dont ask we how, but a modern aircon unit produces more heat than the calorific value of the electricity it consumes, which levels up the playing field. Also an aircon is a dehumidifier as well - humidity makes the air feel colder than it is and gas heaters produce humidity

What is clear is that an oil filled radiator or convexion heater is difinitely pricier to operate than gas

mine are not oil filled george, thus no oil to heat first - they are the latest eco heaters available (not bought here by the way)...but still not economical enough ...but i hear what your saying about the new air con units  - we have AC units but dont think they are the latest units and we monitored their usage over a few days recording the units they used over and above our normal  usage and it just wasnt a viable option and as we rent i wasnt about to go changing them....LOL

I dont really know anything about cost but...I have a new aircon unit and I use it all the time, and a gas fire that I use occasionally. I found that my living room still wasn't really warm enough and my living room felt damp, moist and smelly. So I bought a dehumidifier. Amazing!! It has made a huge difference- apartment is warmer, air is better and using the aircon much less. I am finding that clothes are drying much faster too. My only wish is that I had bought it ages ago!!

Damsel wrote:

I dont really know anything about cost but...I have a new aircon unit and I use it all the time, and a gas fire that I use occasionally. I found that my living room still wasn't really warm enough and my living room felt damp, moist and smelly. So I bought a dehumidifier. Amazing!! It has made a huge difference- apartment is warmer, air is better and using the aircon much less. I am finding that clothes are drying much faster too. My only wish is that I had bought it ages ago!!

good call damsel...and a good idea we do it as well in the bedrooms and it does indeed make the rooms feel warmer.

Thanks for your replies. The humidifier thing makes complete sense. I will get one asap!!!!

Hi Alf007,
Make sure it is a dehumidifier you get