Gas Vs Electric - Which is Cheaper?

Some people are intrigued to find out more about whether gas or electric heating is going to be cheaper in the long run for homeowners. It's a common question these days, and one that needs a bit of analysis. There are pros and cons for both gas and electric, but in truth most people are used to the gas central heating, as that is what they have had for years. Electric heating includes things like blow heaters, oil filled radiators and things that are generally plugged into a mains socket.

Research has actually shown that electric heating is the costliest way to heat your home. That's interesting, because even with the rising gas prices, it seems gas central heating still comes out on top for cost-effectiveness when compared to electric. Since electric heaters all give out the same amount of heat for the money you pay, you are actually getting a bad deal by opting for electric heat only. Gas central heating will heat the whole house through.

It is useful to work out what you pay for electricity at the moment and then compare this to what you pay for the gas. If electricity is more expensive (which it most likely will be) then you can appreciate the electric heating is just going to increase your bill even more. Think about the lights that get left on in the home for a start - they all add to the electricity bill.

You also need to look at how energy efficient your gas boiler is. The older it is, the more expensive your gas central heating is going to be. This is because old boilers do not run very efficiently and they take longer to warm up, so you're technically wasting money as you wait for your central heating to come on. By upgrading to a new boiler though, you shouldn't have this problem. They heat up much faster and are far more efficient, thus reducing costs.

All in all, it is electric heating that is the most expensive, but it is worth speaking with a central heating engineer to find out more. You might also find that living in different parts of the country affects the overall costs. For example, if you're thinking about central heating Barnsley, you want to make sure you're not paying over the odds.



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