Gas normally costs less per kilowatt-hour than electricity in the UK, but that does not by itself tell you which heating system will cost less to operate in a particular building.
Gas central heating and infrared heating deliver warmth differently. The final bill depends on the property's heat loss, how much space is heated, the heating schedule, controls, system losses and the energy tariff.
That makes the real question more useful than simply comparing gas and electricity prices: how much energy does your building actually need to provide the comfort you want?
Can Infrared Heating Be Cheaper Than Gas?
It can be in some applications, but it is not automatically cheaper.
Mains gas generally has a lower unit price than electricity. A gas central-heating system can therefore make financial sense where much of a well-insulated property requires regular heating.
Infrared changes the calculation where heating can be divided by room or zone. If unused areas do not need to be heated at the same time, the total heating requirement may be different from operating a central system across a larger part of the building.
The fairest comparison therefore looks at total energy consumption and total system cost, rather than energy price alone.
Infrared Heating vs Gas: How Each System Delivers Heat
Central Wet Heating
A typical gas central-heating system burns gas in a boiler and transfers heat into water, which is circulated through radiators or another wet heating system.
The radiators transfer heat into rooms through a combination of convection and radiation, gradually increasing room temperature.
The overall cost depends on gas price, boiler performance, heat losses from the building and distribution system, controls and operating hours.
Direct Electric Radiant Heating
Infrared heaters use electricity to produce radiant heat, warming people and surrounding surfaces rather than relying primarily on heating and circulating room air.
Individual heaters can be assigned to particular rooms or appropriate heating zones, each with its own control strategy where the system is designed accordingly.
This means the cost comparison is influenced heavily by which rooms are being heated and for how long.
Energy Price Is Only Half of the Calculation
Looking only at pence per kilowatt-hour favours gas because mains gas generally costs less per unit of purchased energy than electricity.
But your bill is determined by both the price of energy and the amount of energy the heating system consumes.
A meaningful comparison therefore needs to consider:
- How much of the property needs heating
- How long heating operates
- The building's heat loss
- Boiler and system performance
- Room or zone controls
- Gas and electricity tariffs
This is why two properties with similar floor areas can have very different heating costs.
When Gas Heating Can Make Financial Sense
Gas central heating can be well suited to homes where a large proportion of the property needs to remain heated for extended periods.
Examples can include:
- Well-insulated homes with relatively low heat loss
- Properties where most rooms are occupied regularly
- Homes requiring steady heating for long periods
- Properties with an existing efficient boiler and suitable controls
- Buildings where an established wet heating system is already in good condition
In these circumstances, the lower unit price of mains gas can be an important running-cost advantage.
When Infrared Heating Can Change the Cost Equation
Infrared becomes particularly interesting where heating demand varies substantially between different areas of a building.
Examples can include:
- Homes where rooms are occupied at different times
- Home offices, bedrooms and bathrooms with separate schedules
- Extensions and individual retrofit projects
- Workshops and commercial areas used intermittently
- High-ceiling spaces requiring a carefully planned heating strategy
- Buildings where installing new wet pipework would create significant disruption
The potential saving does not come from electricity being cheaper than gas. It comes from the possibility of changing the amount, location and duration of heating being provided.
For a detailed breakdown of electricity use, see our guide on how much infrared heating costs to run in the UK.
What Actually Determines Which System Costs Less?
Energy Tariff
The price you pay for gas and electricity directly affects the comparison. Current tariffs should always be used rather than relying on old example rates.
Building Heat Loss
Insulation, glazing, draughts, ventilation, building fabric and outdoor conditions determine how much heat the property requires.
How Much Space You Heat
Heating an entire property throughout the day creates a different demand from heating individual rooms according to occupancy.
Operating Hours
How long the system operates — and how thermostatic controls cycle it — can have a major influence on annual energy consumption.
System Design and Controls
Boiler controls, infrared heater sizing, thermostats and zoning all influence how effectively energy use can be matched to the building's actual heating requirements.
Radiant Heat vs Central Heating Comfort
Running cost should not be considered separately from the type of comfort the system is expected to provide.
Infrared heating delivers radiant warmth towards people and surrounding surfaces. A conventional radiator system transfers heat through both convection and radiation and is generally designed to raise and maintain room temperature.
Which approach works best depends on room layout, heater positioning, heat loss, occupancy and the intended heating schedule.
Seasonal use also matters. We look specifically at colder-weather operation in are infrared heaters expensive to run in winter?
Installation and Maintenance Costs
The annual energy bill is only one part of the financial comparison.
A complete gas central-heating installation can involve:
- A boiler
- Wet pipework
- Radiators or other emitters
- Heating controls
- Flue and combustion requirements
- Ongoing boiler servicing and maintenance
Infrared heating does not require a boiler or wet pipework to distribute heat. Fixed heaters do, however, need suitable electrical supplies, controls and appropriate installation.
An infrared system can also be installed in individual areas or phases where appropriate, rather than necessarily replacing the heating throughout the complete building at once.
You can explore the wider differences between the technologies in our infrared heating vs traditional heating comparison guide.
Can Infrared Heating Replace Gas Central Heating?
Infrared heating can be designed as a primary heating system, but replacing gas should not simply mean removing radiators and choosing infrared panels based on room floor area alone.
The heating requirement of each room should be assessed using factors such as dimensions, insulation, construction, external walls, glazing and the intended use of the space.
Some properties may instead use infrared in selected rooms while retaining an existing central-heating system elsewhere.
To estimate how much heating your own rooms require, you can use our wattage calculator.
Important: the lowest energy price does not necessarily identify the lowest-cost heating strategy, but neither does zoning automatically make infrared cheaper. A proper comparison needs to account for the building's actual heating requirement and the way each system would be operated.
Infrared Heating vs Gas Cost FAQs
Is infrared heating cheaper than gas heating in the UK?
It depends on the property and how it is heated. Mains gas generally has a lower price per kilowatt-hour than electricity, while infrared can allow heating to be divided by room or zone. The total cost therefore depends on energy prices, heat loss, operating hours, controls and how much of the property needs heating.
Why can infrared heating cost less in some buildings?
Where different areas are occupied at different times, individually controlled infrared heaters can allow heating to be concentrated in the rooms or zones that require it. Whether this reduces the overall bill depends on the building and the alternative heating strategy.
Is gas cheaper for whole-house heating?
Gas can have a strong running-cost advantage where much of a property requires regular heating, particularly when an efficient gas central-heating system is already installed. The exact comparison depends on the property and current tariffs.
Can I replace gas heating with infrared?
Infrared can be designed as a primary heating system where the electrical supply, heater outputs, positions and controls are appropriate for the building's heat requirement. Correct room-by-room sizing is essential.
Can I use infrared heating alongside gas central heating?
Yes. Infrared can be used in selected areas while another heating system serves the rest of the property. Whether this is worthwhile depends on room use, heating demand and the existing system.
Is infrared heating suitable for older properties?
It can be, but age alone does not determine suitability. Older properties can vary significantly in insulation, construction, room height and heat loss, so the required heater output and positioning should be assessed for the individual building.
So, Is Infrared Heating Cheaper Than Gas?
Sometimes — but there is no universal winner based on fuel price alone.
Gas benefits from a lower unit energy price, while infrared offers a fundamentally different heating strategy based around direct radiant heating and room-by-room or zoned control.
If most of a well-insulated home requires steady heating, an existing efficient gas system may make financial sense. If different areas require heat at different times, infrared can change the calculation by allowing the heating strategy to follow occupancy more closely.
The right comparison should therefore consider heat loss, room usage, operating hours, controls, installation costs and current energy tariffs — not just the price printed against a kilowatt-hour of gas or electricity.
You can explore our infrared panels and heaters, or speak with an infrared heating specialist →