Should you heat your house with gas or electricity?

Heating the home may not be something Australians worry about for much of the year, but when winter rolls around it moves up on the priority list. In fact, heating and cooling makes up a whopping 40% of your household energy use. When facing decisions about heating your home, one of the biggest questions is deciding between gas or electricity.

Before we can weigh up gas vs electricity when heating your home, we have to take a few steps back. First, let’s look at the factors at play before you even turn on the heat.

Optimising your house for heating

Size matters: if you live in a big house, it’s going to cost more to heat it. Houses with good insulation in the roof, floors, and walls will stay snug longer. Securing any drafts where air can sneak in and investing in good windows can also make a difference. Take advantage of the sun in the winter but close the curtains at night to keep the heat in; if you’re using space heaters then shut the doors to the rooms that don’t need to be heated.

All of these elements can help keep your house warmer and reduce the size of your heating bill; they can also influence your decision on how to heat your home.

How will you heat your home?

The first question to ask is whether you rely on space heaters or central heat. Space heating only heats the rooms that need it, while central heat will warm up the whole house. In general, space heating uses less energy, though this will depend on how energy efficient your house is.

There are several different ways of heating your house, whether you use space heaters or central heat. When choosing appliances, use the energy star labels as a guide for energy efficiency.