What is the cheapest central heating system to run?

When winter strokes, you’ll want to protect you and your family from the harsh cold with a central heating system. When it comes to heating, whether it’s household or for a business, there are generally two types of heating systems – or fuels – that can give you the warmth you need: electricity and gas.

In this blog, we’re going to briefly explore these two heating systems to determine which is the most efficient and cheapest central heating system. We hope this helps you in your search for an effective and affordable heating system.

Electricity vs gas: which is the better heating system?

Before we start comparing the two, we first need to understand a few aspects of both types of central heating systems. Homeowners have tw0 options if they opt for gas heating: natural gas, which is drawn through a network of pipes, and liquid petroleum gas (LPG), which is delivered in gas bottles of varying sizes that need to be replaced at different times.

While gas can be affordable and efficient, it’s only good for water heating, space heating, cooking and clothes drying, making it less versatile as its electric counterpart, which offers several more applicational benefits considering its nature and the fact that every home needs electricity.

Soo, while gas may be the better option for specific applications, electricity offers homeowners more options when it comes to central heating. Let’s compare these two types of heating systems a little more closely.

Electricity vs gas: pros and cons

To determine which of the two systems is ideal for the average home, we’re going to list out the pros and cons for both energy sources in the categories of water heating, stove top heating, space heating, oven heating, and laundry drying.

Water heating

Gas is more expensive to purchase and install, but is much cheaper in the long run compared to electricity. Since water heating uses a lot of energy, you’ll find yourself spending less on this type of heating if you use gas as opposed to electricity.

Electric water heating is cheap to set up, but will cost you an arm and a leg in the long run. Conserving electricity for electrical water heating is also more of a hassle than it is with gas water heating.

Stove top heating

In a nutshell, gas stoves are quicker and levels more efficient than their electrical counterparts. They are considerably more expensive than electric stoves, but more than make up for it through their efficiency. While electric countertops may be more convenient to purchase and setup, gas stoves are ideal for people who appreciate a long-term cost-effective solution.

Space heating

Gas heaters are quick and to the point, much more so than electrical heaters. They offer almost immediate and sustained warmth, even during load shedding, but lack in their need for occasional (sometimes regular) replacement. Gas heaters, especially those that utilise LPG are extremely efficient and cost-effective, but less affordable than electrical heaters.

Oven heating

When it comes to ovens, gas heating is more expensive but offers a speed and greater heat control. Because ovens use loads of energy, gas ovens offer an appreciable long-term savings plan that their electrical counterparts can’t match. Electric stoves on the other hand, while more readily available and customisable, are more expensive to run.

Conclusion

Now that we have a better idea of what both types of central heating systems offer, it’s fair to say that both options have their own benefits and disadvantages. While electrical heating systems are cheaper to purchase and install, gas heating systems offer a much more lucrative long-term financial benefit that can’t be ignored. We’d love to know which of these two heating systems you think is best – get in touch with us and share your thoughts!