Electric home heating means comfort, safety and care for clean air, but is it also cost-effective, considering the drastically rising prices of electricity? It is worth remembering that electric heating includes various heating solutions, such as a heat pump, an electric central heating furnace or electric floor heating . Each of these solutions, in the right conditions, can guarantee effective and energy-saving operation. We have prepared a comparison of the costs and efficiency of different types of electric heating. Additionally, we have compared electric radiator heating with gas heating.
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Types of electric heating and electricity bills
Electric heating has many advantages and is successfully used in modern energy-efficient construction. Despite high electricity prices, it can be a cost-effective choice, especially with a relatively low building heat demand and appropriate planning and use of the heating system. Passive house with an area of 100 m 2 has an energy demand of around 1,500 kWh per year, which is associated with annual expenses of only PLN 1,200-1,300. For an energy-efficient house, energy consumption is around 4,000 kWh per year, so bills should not exceed PLN 3,500. 
There are various methods of heating interiors with electricity to choose from. Heat pumps are considered to be the most energy-efficient, ecological and efficient devices, especially in the case of single-family homes. A heat pump uses energy accumulated in the ground, water or air. It requires a small amount of electricity to operate, which is increasingly provided by photovoltaics. The return on investment in a heat pump usually occurs within just a few years.
Investors who decide on electric heating often choose a storage furnace , which, in combination with a multi-zone tariff (rates dependent on the hour), ensures efficient and economical operation. The storage furnace stores heat during hours of cheap energy availability and releases it during other hours.
In many places, direct heating works well, based on convector heaters, infrared heaters, heating panels or electric fireplaces. In heating devices, electrical energy is converted into heat. Such an electric heater produces heat immediately after switching on.
It should be remembered that the electricity consumption of the heating system, and therefore the amount of electricity bills, is influenced by factors such as:
size of the heated surface,
Type of electric heating | Average annual cost (for a house of 120 m 2 ) |
Heat pump | 1800-1900 PLN |
High-class central heating electric furnace | 3000 PLN |
Storage heating | 4000 PLN |
Direct heating | 7500 PLN |
Cost Comparison Table
Electricity bills can be reduced by combining electric heating:
Comparison of the costs of electric and gas radiator heating
As mentioned earlier, heating costs are influenced by various factors. Electric heating involves significantly lower investment costs than gas heating. However, it is assumed that heating a house with gas is cheaper than heating with electricity alone. In the case of a classic house with an area of 150 m 2 , it allows saving about PLN 1,800 per year.
Heating efficiency with electric heating
Modern electric heating is characterized by very high energy efficiency - up to 99.9%, which means that 1 kWh of electricity consumed is converted into 1 kW of heat.
Are you planning electric heating? Check out the heating devices and electric heaters available in the Onninen wholesale assortment. We provide professional advice when choosing all system elements.