Gas vs Electric Heating: Which Is Best For Your Home?

Gas and electricity are two of the most common energy sources used for heating in homes. Both have their pros and cons – but which is truly the best option for your home?

In this post, we’ll compare both gas and electrical heating, while weighing up factors like efficiency, cost-effectiveness and environmental impact. For those thinking of updating their system, exploring these factors could be vital for helping you to make an informed decision.

Gas heating

Gas heating is a traditional solution used widely in many homes. It typically involves burning mains-fed natural gas or LPG bottles to heat water in a boiler. This water is then pumped through a network of pipes to radiators or underfloor heating systems. A thermostat is used to control the system, activating a burner and heat exchanger.

Types of gas heating

There are a few different types of gas heating systems to choose from:

Conventional boiler: These traditional systems use a cold water storage tank in the loft linked to a hot water cylinder. They are a good option for homes that have a high water demand and low water pressure.
System boiler: System boilers require a hot water cylinder but not a cold water tank, making them more space efficient than conventional boilers. They can also cope well with high water demand.
Combi boiler: A modern and popular option – combi boilers don’t have a cold water tank or hot water cylinder. They heat water on demand so that you don’t have to wait for water to warm up, but struggle to deal with heavy hot water usage.
Gas-fired warm air system: Whereas boiler systems use hot water to heat up radiators, gas-fired warm air systems use a furnace to heat air, which is circulated around the home through ducts and vents.

The pros of gas heating

Efficient

Gas boilers are renowned for their high efficiency levels. In fact, many modern models can convert over 90% gas into usable heat.

Lower cost to run

Mains gas tends to be cheaper than mains electricity in many regions. This makes it more economical for those wanting to lower their bills.

Provides rapid heat

Gas systems can rapidly heat up rooms. They may be better suited in large homes in very cold regions.

The cons of gas heating

Higher setup/maintenance costs

Gas heating systems can be expensive to set up if there isn’t already a system in place. They also require more regular maintenance to ensure that they are safe and efficient.

Reliant on fossil fuels

Natural gas is a finite fossil fuel formed by the buried remains of marine organisms millions of years ago. While new gas reserves are constantly being found, many existing reserves are being depleted fast at a rate that is not sustainable.

Greater carbon emissions

Burning gas releases carbon emissions into the air, which are thought to be a major source of climate change.

Electric heating

Electric heating is a more modern option that uses electricity to heat up water, heat up oil, provide infrared heat or extract heat using heat pumps. Electricity is either supplied via the mains or generated off-grid using solar panels or a home wind turbine. A thermostat is used to activate a heating element or to activate heat pumps.

Types of electric heating

Some of the main types of electric heating include:

Electric boiler: This works much like a gas boiler system, but instead uses an electric heating element to heat up water, which is then distributed to taps and radiators.
Electric radiators: This involves using oil-filled radiators, which are directly heated up with electricity as opposed to pumping water into them.
Underfloor heating: Electric underfloor heating involves using heating elements in the form of cables and mats placed under the floor. This is a way of warming up rooms from below.
Infrared panels: Infrared panels emit radiant heat to warm people up directly. They are recommended in draughty and poorly insulated rooms.
Air source heat pumps: Air source heat pumps extract heat from the outside air using pumps. This is typically more cost-effective than many of the electric heating systems above, but may not be efficient in very cold temperatures.
Ground source heat pumps: Ground source heat pumps use electric-powered pumps to extract geothermal heat from the ground. Like air source heat pumps, this system is typically low-cost to run. It can also provide more steady heat than an air source heat pump system.

The pros of electric heating

Easier installation

Electric heating systems can often be installed more quickly than gas systems. Even older buildings can often be easily retrofitted with the help of heating retrofit specialists.

Less maintenance

Due to fewer moving parts and generally being safer, electric heating systems don’t need to be serviced as regularly and don’t run into as many problems.

Often more environmentally friendly

While mains electricity can be produced by burning fossil fuels, greater amounts of electricity today are being produced using sustainable methods, such as using solar panels.

The cons of electric heating

Higher running costs

Depending on where you live, you may find that mains electricity costs a lot more than gas. Off-grid solar systems can help you to greatly slash your energy bills, but you will also need to consider the high cost of installing solar panels if you don’t already have them.

Slower heating

Many electric heating systems take longer to warm up than other systems, particularly in very cold temperatures. Infrared panels are an exception to this.

Susceptible to outages

If you’re running electricity off the mains, you might have to deal with power outages occasionally. Gas lines can have issues, too, but these are rarer. Installing solar panels can be a way to keep your power running during a grid outage, but you will need to install a solar battery to keep your power running at night.