Best Heating for a House Without Gas: What Are Your Options?
If your property isn't connected to mains gas, you still have several ways to heat it - including infrared heating, heat pumps, electric radiators and storage heaters.
The best option depends on the property itself, how you use it, your available electricity supply, installation budget and the type of heating experience you want.
What Is the Best Heating System for a House Without Gas?
There isn't one system that is best for every property.
A heat pump can be attractive where the property, installation and heat-distribution system suit it because it can move more heat energy into a building than the electrical energy it consumes.
Direct electric systems such as infrared panels and electric radiators can offer a simpler route where you want individual room control without installing a wet central-heating circuit.
Storage heaters can make sense where their charging pattern and electricity tariff fit the household.
The correct decision starts with the building's heat requirement — not simply choosing the heater with the lowest advertised purchase price.
How Can You Heat a House Without Mains Gas?
For many UK properties without a mains-gas connection, electricity becomes an important energy source for space heating.
But that doesn't mean every electric heating system works in the same way.
The main options worth comparing include:
- Infrared heating
- Air source heat pumps
- Ground source heat pumps
- Electric radiators
- Storage heaters
- Other property-specific heating arrangements
The first five are particularly useful to compare because they represent very different approaches to heating a building electrically.
Heating Options for a House Without Gas at a Glance
| System | How It Heats | Installation | Room Control |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infrared heating | Direct electric radiant heating | Wall or suitable ceiling heaters, electrical supply and controls | Can be arranged room by room |
| Air source heat pump | Transfers heat from outside air into the building | External unit plus suitable internal heating distribution | Depends on system design |
| Ground source heat pump | Transfers heat from the ground | Ground works plus heat-pump and internal system | Depends on system design |
| Electric radiators | Direct electric heating, generally convection-led with radiant output too | Individual electric heaters and suitable electrical supply | Can be arranged room by room |
| Storage heaters | Store electrically generated heat for later release | Individual storage heaters and appropriate electrical arrangement | Depends on charging and output controls |
Infrared Heating
How Infrared Heating Works
Infrared heaters use electricity to heat an emitting surface, which releases radiant energy towards people and solid surfaces within its effective area.
Rather than relying entirely on warming and circulating large volumes of air first, radiant heat is transferred directly towards surfaces and occupants.
One of the practical advantages for a house without gas is that infrared does not require a boiler or water-filled central-heating circuit for space heating.
Depending on the specific heater, panels can be positioned on suitable walls or ceilings, while different rooms can be given appropriate independent control arrangements.
Infrared heating may be worth considering where:
- You want a direct electric heating system
- You don't want to install wet space-heating pipework
- You want room-by-room heating control
- You want wall and suitable ceiling-mounted options
- You want to preserve lower wall space in some rooms
- Your property has very different occupancy patterns between rooms
It is important to size the system correctly. Infrared isn't a way to ignore the heat loss of the building.
If you're considering infrared for the entire property, read Can Infrared Heating Heat a Whole House?.
You can also read Infrared Heating Pros & Cons and Is Infrared Heating Worth It? before deciding.
Air Source Heat Pumps
How an Air Source Heat Pump Works
An air source heat pump extracts heat from the outside air and uses a refrigeration cycle to raise its temperature before transferring that heat into the building.
Unlike direct electric resistance heating, a heat pump moves existing heat rather than relying solely on converting electrical input into heat at the point of use.
That distinction is important.
A suitably designed heat pump can deliver more heat energy into a property than the electrical energy it consumes.
However, suitability and performance depend on the building and system design.
A project may need to consider:
- Building heat loss
- Available outdoor space
- Radiator or underfloor-heating design
- Flow temperatures
- Existing pipework
- Hot-water requirements
- Installation cost and complexity
We compare these two approaches in much more detail on our Infrared Heating vs Air Source Heat Pumps page.
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Ground source heat pumps use heat collected from the ground rather than directly from the outside air.
Like air source systems, they use electricity to operate the heat-pump process rather than functioning as ordinary resistance heaters.
They can be an option for suitable properties, but the installation requirements are very different from fitting individual electric heaters.
Ground works and available land can be major considerations.
For a dedicated comparison, see Infrared Heating vs Ground Source Heat Pumps.
Electric Radiators
Electric radiators are another straightforward option for properties without mains gas.
Like infrared panels, they can provide direct electric space heating without requiring a gas boiler or wet central-heating circuit.
The main difference is the way the heat is delivered.
Conventional electric radiators generally place greater emphasis on warming the surrounding air through convection, although they also provide radiant heat.
Infrared panels place greater emphasis on radiant heat towards people and surfaces.
Both technologies can provide individual room control when suitable controls are used.
See our full Infrared Heating vs Electric Radiators comparison.
Storage Heaters
Storage heaters take a different approach again.
They use electricity to heat an internal thermal storage material and then release that stored energy into the room later.
This can make the electricity tariff and charging schedule particularly important.
Storage heating may suit a property where the charging arrangement and heat-release pattern fit the household's routine.
However, someone wanting heating that responds directly to room occupancy may prefer to compare it with direct-acting alternatives.
Read our Infrared Heating vs Storage Heaters guide for the full comparison.
Don't Choose a Heating System Based on Purchase Price Alone
A heating system has more than one cost.
You need to consider:
- Equipment purchase cost
- Installation cost
- Electrical or plumbing work
- Controls
- Ongoing electricity consumption
- Maintenance requirements
- How long you expect to remain in the property
A system with a lower upfront cost is not automatically the lowest-cost option over its life.
Equally, a more expensive system is not automatically worthwhile for every building.
The building, expected heating demand and way the property is used need to be considered together.
Which Heating Is Cheapest to Run Without Gas?
There isn't a single running-cost figure that can answer this for every home.
Direct electric resistance heaters such as infrared panels and electric radiators draw electricity according to their electrical input while operating.
A 1kW direct electric heater running continuously at full input for one hour consumes 1kWh of electricity.
Real heating bills then depend on factors including:
- Total installed output
- Operating time
- Thermostat settings
- Electricity tariff
- Room zoning
- Building heat loss
- Occupancy
Storage heating also brings the charging tariff and timing into the equation.
Heat pumps work differently because they transfer heat and can provide more heat output than their electrical input, but their real performance still depends on the installation and operating conditions.
Be cautious with any heating comparison that promises one fixed percentage saving. The actual result depends heavily on the property, energy tariff, heating requirement and way the system is controlled.
For infrared specifically, see our Infrared Heating Running Costs guide and Infrared Heating Costs in Winter.
Don't Forget About Domestic Hot Water
If you're replacing a gas boiler, space heating is only part of the problem.
Your existing boiler may also be providing domestic hot water for showers, baths and taps.
A direct electric room-heating system such as infrared panels or electric radiators does not itself provide domestic hot water.
The property therefore needs a separate hot-water solution.
Depending on the overall project, that could involve an appropriate electric hot-water system, a heat-pump arrangement or another suitable solution.
IHS also supplies Sunamp Thermino heat batteries for suitable hot-water applications.
You can learn more in What Is a Sunamp Thermino Heat Battery? and our Sunamp Thermino vs Hot Water Cylinder comparison.
The Best Option Can Change with the Property
Flats & Apartments
Available outdoor space, installation permissions, existing electrical heating and the need for individual room control can all affect the decision.
See our Best Electric Heating for a Flat guide.
Whole-Home Projects
Larger projects should consider the complete heating demand, electrical supply, hot water, room zoning and installation cost rather than choosing heaters individually.
Existing Homes
The existing heating system matters. Replacing old storage heaters can involve a very different project from replacing an existing wet central-heating system.
Starting from Scratch
A new project gives more freedom to consider insulation, heating, controls, hot water and electrical infrastructure as one coordinated design.
6 Questions to Ask Before Choosing Heating for a House Without Gas
How Much Heat Does the Property Need?
Start with the building's heating requirement rather than choosing appliances first.
How Well Insulated Is It?
Insulation, glazing, construction and air leakage all influence the amount of heating required.
How Is the House Occupied?
A home occupied continuously can have different heating requirements from one where individual rooms are only used for short periods.
What Installation Work Is Practical?
Consider available wall and ceiling space, outdoor space, pipework, electrical capacity and the amount of disruption acceptable.
How Will You Produce Hot Water?
If there is no gas boiler, make sure the heating plan also accounts for domestic hot water.
What Will the Whole System Cost?
Compare equipment, installation, controls and likely energy use rather than looking at one figure in isolation.
Design the Heating Room by Room
If infrared looks suitable for your property, don't choose panels based on a generic square-metre figure.
Work out the heating requirement first and then decide how the output should be distributed.
Our new guides separate those two decisions:
What Size Infrared Heater Do I Need? explains the wattage requirement.
How Many Infrared Panels Do I Need? explains heater quantity and distribution.
Then use Ceiling vs Wall-Mounted Infrared Panels to plan the positioning.
Room-by-Room Control Can Matter in an All-Electric Home
When heating is electric, it can be useful to think carefully about whether every room genuinely needs the same temperature and schedule.
For infrared heating, appropriate thermostat control can allow the system to be designed around different rooms or heating zones.
However, if rooms require independent temperatures and schedules, they need the appropriate independent control arrangement.
One thermostat should not automatically be assumed to independently control multiple separate rooms.
Read Do Infrared Heaters Need a Thermostat? and our Built-In Thermostat vs Non-Thermostat Infrared Heater guide.
Which System Is Cheapest to Install?
Installation costs can vary significantly.
Direct electric heaters can avoid some of the components required by a wet central-heating system, but a complete property installation can still involve electrical work, controls and multiple heaters.
Heat pumps involve a different level and type of installation, potentially including external equipment and changes to the heat-distribution system.
Storage-heater replacement can also involve electrical alterations and removal of the existing units.
This is why the upfront cost needs to be assessed for the actual building.
Our new How Much Does It Cost to Install Infrared Heating in a House? guide covers the infrared side in detail.
Heating a House Without Gas FAQs
What is the best heating system if you don't have gas?
There is no single best system for every property. Infrared heating, heat pumps, electric radiators and storage heaters all have different installation, control and operating characteristics. The right option depends on the building, heat requirement, occupancy, electricity supply and project budget.
Can you heat an entire house using only electricity?
Yes. Homes can use electric systems for space heating and domestic hot water, but the equipment and electrical installation need to be appropriately designed for the property's requirements.
Can infrared heating replace gas central heating?
Infrared can provide whole-home space heating where the system is correctly sized, positioned and controlled. If a gas boiler also provides domestic hot water, a separate hot-water solution will be required.
Is a heat pump cheaper to run than direct electric heating?
A suitably designed heat pump can deliver more heat energy than the electrical energy it consumes, which gives it an important efficiency advantage over direct electric resistance heating. Actual running costs still depend on electricity prices, system performance, heat demand and operating conditions.
Are infrared panels suitable for an off-gas property?
They can be. Infrared is an electric space-heating option that does not require a gas supply or wet space-heating circuit. Suitability depends on the property's heating requirement, available electrical supply, heater positioning and controls.
What is the best electric heating for a flat?
Flats have additional considerations including available space, existing heating, electrical capacity and installation permissions. See our Best Electric Heating for a Flat guide.
Do I still need a hot-water system if I install infrared heating?
Yes. Infrared panels provide space heating and do not themselves provide domestic hot water for taps, baths or showers, so an appropriate separate hot-water system is required.
Considering Infrared Heating for an Off-Gas Property?
The next step is to understand the heating requirement of the property and decide whether infrared suits the way you use each room.
For a whole-house project, plan the output, heater quantity, positioning, controls and electrical installation together.
Read our Complete Infrared Heating Guide, explore our infrared heating ranges, compare infrared with air source heat pumps or speak to the IHS team about your property →