What is the most economical way to heat? (2023)

FAQs

What is the most economical way to heat? ›

Natural gas is likely to prove the cheapest way to heat a home if you have this heating option available to you where you live. Although prices have risen, natural gas is the least costly form of space heating. This is followed by electricity, propane, and heating oil, from the next cheapest to the most expensive.

Conclusion. So, after looking at the different types of electric heaters available, due to its lower power-output, halogen heaters are the cheapest electric heaters to run.

Switching off the radiators in empty spaces is definitely the cheapest way to heat your home this winter. And you might even find that an oil-filled electric radiator is cheaper to run than your boiler.

Electric heat is the most expensive type of heating. To get cheaper heat using electricity you need to use a heat pump. The very cheap natural gas prices in the US mean gas heating is much cheaper, explaining its dominance for central heating.

Propane is cheaper than electric.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating a home in the U.S. with a propane heating system costs far less than heating with an electric system.

electric heating cost is much cheaper. A single kilowatt-hour (kWh) unit of gas costs around 4.65p, whereas the average price for a kWh of electricity is more than 20p. This doesn't mean that electric heating running costs are four times those of gas, however!

What are the most efficient heaters? If you're looking for a heater that won't use much power and helps cut costs on energy bills, your best bet is a halogen heater, a convection heater or an oil-filled radiator, particularly if they have effective thermostat controls.

Infrared quartz model space heaters will be the most energy efficient. Other types of space heaters that are less efficient include ceramic models, oil-filled radiators, and convection models.

Because their energy requirements are so much lower than the average furnace (400W - 1500W on average) they provide you a low-cost way of raising the temperature without significantly affecting your energy costs. Oil filled space heaters are also over 99 percent energy efficient.

What should I set my heat to for cheap bill in winter? ›

The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. You can easily save energy in the winter by setting the thermostat to around 68°F while you're awake and setting it lower while you're asleep or away from home.

Natural gas is likely to prove the cheapest way to heat a home if you have this heating option available to you where you live. Although prices have risen, natural gas is the least costly form of space heating. This is followed by electricity, propane, and heating oil, from the next cheapest to the most expensive.

In general, furnaces are the most efficient of the heating systems, especially if you have natural gas. They work by heating air with a component called a heat exchanger and pushing it into the home through a duct system, using a fan (often referred to as a blower).

In larger homes, a small room may be worth heating individually if it's less than a quarter of the size of the whole house, although there's less benefit if your house is well-insulated.

Space heaters cost about 20 cents per hour to operate, give or take, which is a whole lot cheaper than central heat for a home of almost any size. Bigger homes and those in colder climates cost even more to heat, and the net savings you'll see using a space heater is even greater.

Overall, furnace systems are the most efficient for heating the home and especially natural gas designs. Heating air with a heat exchanger, they force warmed air through wall ducts into all rooms for a whole-house cosy feel during all weathers.

Heat Strips are a Costly Option

It's important to note that heat strips need a lot more energy to run compared to a heat pump. For this reason, relying on heat strips for any extended amount of time can drive up your electric bill.

Electric heating is better for the environment, easy to install, virtually maintenance-free and allows for individual programming, so you can adjust the temperature room by room depending on your needs.

Electric heating is the future. With gas powered heating systems contributing heavily to our nation's carbon footprint, it is inevitable that at some point in the not too distant future, we will all be reliant on an electrical heating system in our homes.

Is it cheaper to heat or cool a house with electricity? ›

Heating your home costs more than cooling your home because cold weather tends to stray further from comfortable temperatures than warm weather.

Infrared heaters are likely the most energy-efficient electric heaters, giving off all their heat through infrared, making them efficient for home heating. Each watt of energy is made into usable heat, with none lost due to air escaping the room.

Radiative space heaters are among the best options for indoor heating. You can also use this type of heater outdoors as well. Infrared and fireplace heaters, even patio heaters can fall under this category. The reason radiative heaters are popular is because they eliminate the need for insulation.

On average, it costs about 24 cents per hour to run a standard 1,500-watt space heater.

Broadly, oil-filled radiators are more economical to run because the oil retains the heat longer. This makes it more efficient than an electric convection heater, according to Qbic Heating.

Oil heater: Cost to run

According to Home Inspection Insider, running a 1,500-watt oil heater costs an average rate of 10 cents an hour. If you run your heater for eight hours a day, it would cost you around $25 a month.

The lower the temperature is inside of the home, the slower the rate of thermal energy loss. To achieve optimal comfort, it is recommended for homeowners to set their thermostats between 68 to 72 degrees while there are people inside of the home.

What Temperature to Leave a Vacant House in Winter. Whether you plan to leave for a vacation or for the season, most heating and cooling professionals recommend setting the thermostat to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

When preparing your home for winter if you plan to be away, the best thermostat settings are between 55 and 60°F. If your winters are mild and freezing pipes are not as much of a concern, you can go lower to 45°F to potentially save money.

In fact, leaving your heat on all day can actually cost you much more than turning it off every now and then. Heat tends to diffuse, so the high heat in your home will diffuse to areas of low heat outside the home during the winter. So even when you have your furnace on, your home is always losing a little bit of heat.

Does turning your heat off at night save money? ›

Yes, homeowners can save money on their energy and heating bills by turning the thermostat down. You can save almost 15 percent of your total heating bill by lowering your heat by seven degrees overnight (or for any other eight hour period).

Cracks in Walls, Windows and Doors

Around 38% of heat loss in your home comes from cracks in your walls, windows and doors (often invisible to the naked eye). In fact, a ⅛ inch gap under a 36-inch wide door will let as much cold air into your home as a 2.4 inch hole through your wall.

Based on our research, the best cold climate heat pump is Mitsubishi's Hyper-Heating, or H2i. Listed as Mitsubishi's M-Series or P-Series for home installation, these heat pumps maintain their full heating capacity down to 5F, and can produce useful heat down to -13F.

Leave your heating on overnight at a lower temperature to keep the condensate warm. Although this uses energy, your boiler will take less time to heat up your home in the morning. Set your boiler thermostat to a higher temperature. This will use more energy and so reduce the amount of condensate.

Turn Down the Thermostat at Night...

Sleep scientists suggest that for optimal sleeping conditions, room temperature should be between 60 and 67°F. That figure is considerably lower than the daytime recommendation, furthering your heating bill savings while also reaping improved sleep.

Generally speaking, the most efficient temperature for your thermostat is between 18°C and 20°C. If you set the thermostat any higher, then you'll find that your home is very warm and it may be unsafe for babies and people with heart conditions. Any cooler and it may be unsafe for people with respiratory conditions.

Conclusion. So, after looking at the different types of electric heaters available, due to its lower power-output, halogen heaters are the cheapest electric heaters to run.

You Want to Heat the Whole House: Thermostat

A space heater is only a good idea when you want to heat one or two rooms. They're not efficient enough for the whole house. If you find the recommended 68-degree winter thermostat setting is too chilly for you, turn up your thermostat a degree or two.

Con: Fire and Burn Risk

The National Fire Protection Association warns that space heaters account for more than 40% of all home heating-related fires. Space heaters are also responsible for most fire-related deaths during winter, and they account for thousands of burn-related injuries each year.

What is the most efficient and cost effective way to heat your house? ›

A ductless heat pump is an electric system offering one of the most efficient ways to heat and cool a home. The system uses up to 60% less energy than conventional electric heating systems. The main thing you should know about a ductless heat pump is that it's a “zonal” heating and cooling system.

Heat pumps—air source and geothermal heating pumps

In most cases, heat pumps are the most efficient way to heat your older home. They work by transferring heat from outside your home to the inside of your home and they also double as an air conditioning system in the warmer months—a win-win.

Start-up Times. If you're asking 'Is it more expensive to turn heat on and off? ' in a short term sense, the answer is a resounding yes. Consider this scenario: it's Winter, it's just a couple of degrees outdoors, and you want to turn your heat up.

In larger homes, a small room may be worth heating individually if it's less than a quarter of the size of the whole house, although there's less benefit if your house is well-insulated.

According to experts at the Energy Saving Trust, the idea it's cheaper to leave the heating on low all day is a myth. They're clear that having the heating on only when you need it is, in the long run, the best way to save energy, and therefore money.

The ideal thermostat temperature in the winter is 68 degrees Fahrenheit when you're at home. Energy.gov suggests that 68 degrees is a good room temperature while you're awake at home but recommends lowering it while you're asleep or away.

You can save an average of 1% on energy costs for every degree reduced on your thermostat. Setting the thermometer eight degrees lower before you turn in at night may save you as much as $180 per year on your utility bill.

The startup process for a furnace consumes more energy than simply running the entire time at one set temperature, costing you additional money. To maximize efficiency, it's best to keep your furnace (or AC) at the same consistent temperature for long periods of time.

When you're home all day long, keeping the thermostat at 78 degrees Fahrenheit is a great idea. If you're going to work from 9:00 to 5:00 at the office, ENERGY STAR recommends setting the temperature 5–8 degrees higher (or 83–86 degrees Fahrenheit). That way you save money on electricity.

Is it expensive to run a electric blanket? ›

Electric blankets and throws are actually very economical – costing from as little as 5p per hour to run, especially when you compare them with the cost of keeping your central heating on for hours or heating rooms you're not actually using.