Is a gas fire cheaper than central heating in the UK?
Weighing up your options is a vital part of monitoring energy consumption.
Depending on your budget and property, the main heating appliance in your home may not be as suitable a choice as you first thought.
According to the Office for National Statistics 2021 census, 3 in 4 households (74%) in England and Wales said central heating was their only heat source. But what if there was a cheaper alternative?
Gas fires have been a popular secondary heat source since the 1950s when the government introduced the Clean Air Act: this meant that, by the 1990s, traditional coal and solid-fuel fires were almost entirely replaced by gas models.
Since then, technological advancements have made them even more of an asset. Homeowners can now purchase high-efficiency gas fires with ratings of 70%, 80% and even 90%.
But can they heat a whole home effectively while keeping costs low?
What is central heating?
In the UK, homes have boilers that produce heat via various fuels. From electricity to oil, water to LPG gas, the boiler's job is to distribute the heated fuel across the radiators in your home, plus taps in your kitchen and bathroom.
Most UK homes have a gas-powered central heating system despite the wide variety of fuel types. The three main types of gas boilers include combination, heat-only and system boilers. Your monthly costs will depend to a large extent on which type you have.
How much does central heating cost to run?
How much your central heating costs to run depends on several key factors:
- Your boilers age/efficiency
- Fuel type (Gas, Oil, Electric, LPG)
- How well-insulated your home is
- The size/type of the property
- Whether your boiler has thermostatic radiator valves
- Your units power output
As you can see, there is no concrete way to determine the cost of running your central heating. Rather, it’s a combination of interlinking variables. However, you can get a good idea by looking at current fuel prices in kW per hour.
As of July 2023, gas prices cost 10.3 pence p/h (according to government regulations). The price of electricity is 33.2 pence p/h, LPG gas is 11.3 pence p/h, and oil is 11.6 p/h. Using these figures and the heat output of your boiler in kW, you can calculate a rough estimate of your hourly costs.
What are gas fires?
Modern gas fires come in many different forms, including:
- Conventional flue gas fires: These gas fireplaces must be connected to a chimney or flue and work by drawing air from the chimney and surrounding room for combustion. They can be open-fronted or glass-fronted, depending on preference.
EXAMPLE: The Flavel Expression Plus HE Open-Fronted Gas Fire
EXAMPLE: The Collection by Michael Miller Aleesia Glass-Fronted Gas Fire
- Balanced flue gas fires: These room-sealed appliances use a concentric flue and fire chamber to circulate the air and gas needed for combustion.
EXAMPLE: The Elgin & Hall Eclipsim Cast Arch Balanced Flue Gas Fire
- Flueless gas fires: These fires do not need to be connected to a flue or chimney but require your room to be adequately ventilated (correct size Air Vent installed in the room)
EXAMPLE: The Eko fires 6010 Flueless Stove
- LPG gas fires: These fires are powered by LPG gas (or propane gas) rather than the national mains supply.
EXAMPLE: The Kinder Oasis HE High-Efficiency Gas Fire
How much do gas fires cost to run?
As we mentioned above, the current price of gas in the UK is 10.3 pence. However, this figure is unstable and depends on the UK’s changing economic conditions.
You can find a comprehensive breakdown of this equation by using our Gas Fire Running Costs Calculator, but to sum things up, the running cost of a gas fire can be determined by using the following formula:
kW heat output x price of gas per hour ÷ 100 = the hourly running costs of your gas fire in pence and pounds
Is a gas fire cheaper than central heating in the UK?
A gas fire is typically cheaper than central heating because modern, high-efficiency units can generate more heat for lower prices.
Their lower kWh measurements mean they use less gas than boilers (boilers, on average, use between 20-40 kWh) and allow you to tailor your heating to individual rooms. But what if you want to heat your whole house?
In this case, radiators with thermostatic valves and adjustable radiators may prove more beneficial, as they can heat multiple rooms simultaneously much quicker.
But if you’re looking for a cost-saving way to keep your lounge, bedroom or kitchen cosy and stylish at different times, one of our gas fires will be your best bet.
