Is Gas Cheaper Than Electric?

Question

hey there,i have just got an electric fire put in,and was wondering whether it was cheaper to have the central heating on or use the electric fire?

Answer 1

The central heating will be a LOT cheaper.

Answer 2

It would all depend on where you live & how much you pay for either electric (btu) or natural gas (unit). In addition to the weatherization that you have in your appartment or house. In my area it would be cheaper to use the electric fire. One thing to watch for is the square footage of the area(s) that you are trying to heat compared to the output of heat that your electric fire will produce. It would be good to suppliment your electric fire with the natural gas fired central heat on very cold days.

Just as a note. Last year I ran all portable electric space heaters as the main heat source. Many told me that I was crazy to do so and that it would be very expensive. That was not the case. My electric bill last winter was only $100 on budget. Comparing that electric bill to previous winters using a natural gas fired central heating system, my bill on budget was $600. This year we are going to electric 220v wall mounted baseboards. I expect to see an even greater savings.

Answer 3

we have both gas and electric and we are charged the same each month for both .But in the winter we use our coal fire and that cost an extra 32 a month 40 for gas 40 for electricity. i would just use the central heating for now and when it gets really cold put the fire on for a while an electrician can tell you how much the fire will cost you to run.

Answer 4

If you are talking about those baseboard or wall mounted electric heaters then yes gas is much cheaper. If you are talking about a heat pump as electric heat then that is no where near the elec usage of a basboard or wall heater. Generarally speaking in your northern states gas or oil heat is cheaper. In your southern states electric heat is cheaper.

Answer 5

Gas is a lot cheaper than electric per unit, gas is about 1 or 2 pence whereas electric is more like 7 pence per unit kw/h. However the main source of heat is often central heating ie gas, and it consumes vast amounts of kw/h. so the overall bill for gas is generally more than the average electric bill.

Answer 6

Definitely the central heating is lot cheaper.

Answer 7

if the power goes out you`ve lost both! you need power to open the gas valve to ignite the gas burner, but on a whole gas is cheeper, electric is almost always more on the bill.

Answer 8

central heating is a million times cheaper trust me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 9

I find gas more expensive definitley

Answer 10

Gas can be lower if you buy it from a co-op.