Infrared Heating vs Gas Central Heating
Which is better for your property? Compare infrared heating and gas central heating across running costs, efficiency, installation, maintenance, room control and everyday use.
Gas generally has the lower fuel cost where an efficient mains-gas system already exists. Infrared offers a different proposition: direct electric heating, straightforward zoning, no boiler or wet heating circuit for space heating, low routine heater maintenance and potentially simpler installation.
Which heating system makes sense?
Gas central heating has traditionally been one of the most common ways to heat UK homes. Infrared heating provides an alternative approach using electricity and radiant heat.
The comparison is more complicated than simply looking at the price of gas against electricity. You also need to consider what is already installed, the cost of creating or replacing the heating system, maintenance, controls, room usage and how long each area needs to be heated.
A homeowner with a modern gas boiler faces a very different decision from someone renovating a property with no central heating system at all.
Do not assume that replacing it with direct electric infrared will automatically reduce your energy bills. Mains electricity normally costs considerably more per kWh than mains gas, so the way the building and heating zones are used matters enormously.
Infrared heating vs gas heating: the fundamental difference
Electric radiant heat
Electric infrared heaters warm an emitting surface, which radiates infrared energy towards people, furniture and building surfaces within its effective field.
Heaters can be installed on walls or ceilings and arranged into independently controlled heating zones.
Space heating does not require a boiler, circulation pump or water-filled radiator network.
Boiler-based wet heating
A gas boiler burns natural gas to heat water. That water is circulated through pipework to radiators or wet underfloor heating.
Radiators warm rooms through a combination of convection and radiation.
Modern gas systems can use thermostats, thermostatic radiator valves and additional zoning controls to regulate different areas of the property.
Infrared heating vs gas central heating comparison
| Factor | Infrared Heating | Gas Central Heating |
|---|---|---|
| Energy source | Electricity | Natural gas plus electricity for system components |
| Heat delivery | Primarily radiant | Radiators use convection and radiation |
| Boiler required | No | Yes |
| Heating pipework | Not required for space heating | Required for a wet central-heating system |
| Room control | Individual heaters or thermostatic zones | Thermostats, TRVs and optional zoning |
| Routine maintenance | Generally low | Boiler and wet system require ongoing maintenance |
| Domestic hot water | Separate hot-water system required | Often provided by the boiler |
| Current fuel unit cost | Electricity is typically more expensive per kWh | Mains gas is typically cheaper per kWh |
| Solar PV compatibility | Can use electricity generated by solar PV when available | Solar PV does not directly fuel a gas boiler |
Is infrared heating cheaper to run than gas?
Infrared heating should not automatically be assumed to be cheaper than mains gas central heating.
Electricity currently costs substantially more per unit of energy than mains gas in Great Britain. An efficient existing gas system can therefore have a significant fuel-cost advantage when comparing the energy required for whole-property heating.
However, unit price alone does not tell you what a complete heating system will cost to operate. How much space you heat, for how long, at what temperature and with what level of heat loss also matters.
Infrared vs gas installation costs
This is where the comparison can look very different depending on whether a working central-heating system already exists.
Infrared can simplify the installation
If a property has no wet central-heating system, installing gas heating may require a boiler, radiators, pipework, controls and associated building work.
Infrared heating removes the need for the boiler and heating water circuit, although appropriate electrical supplies, controls and professional installation may still be required.
Replacing a boiler is a different comparison
If a property already has usable radiators and pipework, replacing only the existing gas boiler may cost less upfront than converting the entire property to a new heating system.
The existing infrastructure should therefore be included when comparing the overall cost of changing technologies.
Which is more efficient?
The word “efficiency” can be misleading unless we define what is being compared.
Electric resistance heaters convert the electricity used at the appliance into heat at the point of use. Gas boilers lose some energy through combustion and flue gases, although modern condensing boilers can operate efficiently.
That does not mean direct electric heating is automatically cheaper to operate. Energy price and the total amount of energy required remain critical.
When does infrared heating make the most sense?
The answer can change significantly depending on the property and project.
Properties without a gas connection
Where mains gas is unavailable, the decision is no longer simply infrared versus an existing gas boiler. Infrared can be compared with other electric heating systems and heat pumps, taking installation, running cost and building suitability into account.
Older and heritage buildings
Wall or ceiling mounted infrared heating can be useful where installing new heating pipework would involve significant disruption. The building's heat loss and heater positioning still need careful assessment.
Designing from a blank canvas
New-build projects allow the complete heating and hot-water strategy to be considered from the beginning, including insulation, electricity supply, renewable generation, controls and future energy use.
Adding heat without extending pipework
Infrared can provide an independent heating zone for an extension, garden room, office or other area without extending the property's existing wet central-heating circuit.
What about infrared heating with solar panels?
Because infrared heating is electric, it can use electricity generated by a property's solar PV system when generation is available.
However, solar output and heating demand do not always occur at the same time. UK heating demand is typically greatest during colder and darker periods when solar generation may be lower.
Grid electricity, electrical battery storage or other energy sources may therefore still be required as part of the overall system.
Rather than asking whether solar panels can simply “run the heating”, consider when electricity is generated, when heat is required, how the property is controlled and whether storage is part of the design.
This is particularly relevant for new builds and properties moving towards an all-electric energy strategy.
What happens to hot water if you remove a gas boiler?
Infrared heaters provide space heating. They do not produce domestic hot water.
If your existing combi or system boiler currently provides both heating and hot water, moving away from gas means you need to plan a separate hot-water solution.
Space heating and domestic hot water should be designed together rather than treating them as separate afterthoughts. Electric hot-water cylinders, heat-pump water heaters and thermal-storage solutions may be considered depending on the project.
Infrared Heating Supplies also offers the Sunamp Thermino range for projects where an electric thermal-storage solution is appropriate.
Should you choose infrared or gas central heating?
These are the circumstances worth considering when comparing the two approaches.
You value a simple, flexible electric system
- You do not have a mains gas connection
- You want to avoid installing a new wet heating circuit
- You want straightforward room-by-room heating zones
- You are heating an extension or selected areas independently
- Wall or ceiling mounted heating suits the property
- You want low routine maintenance from the space heaters
- You are planning an all-electric property
- You have or plan to install solar PV
You already have an effective gas system
- A modern gas boiler is already installed
- Your existing radiators and pipework are in good condition
- You regularly heat most of the house together
- Current running cost is your overriding consideration
- The boiler also provides your domestic hot water
- Your existing controls already provide the zoning you need
Find out what your rooms actually need.
The next step isn't choosing a random panel size. Calculate the heating requirement for your rooms so you can see the wattage and heater quantity your property may require.
Compare your heating options
Infrared heating vs gas FAQs
Can infrared heating replace gas central heating?
Yes, infrared heaters can form the primary space-heating system when the heating requirement, heater output, positioning and controls are correctly designed. If a gas boiler is also providing domestic hot water, a separate hot-water solution will be required.
Is infrared heating cheaper to run than gas?
Not necessarily. Mains electricity currently costs substantially more per kWh than mains gas. Infrared allows individual rooms and zones to be controlled independently, but actual costs depend on heat loss, heating hours, thermostat settings, tariffs and how the property is used.
Is infrared heating cheaper to install than gas central heating?
It can be where a complete new heating system is required, because infrared space heating does not require a gas boiler, radiators or a hot-water distribution circuit. If a property already has usable central-heating infrastructure and only requires a replacement boiler, the comparison can be very different.
Which is more efficient: infrared or gas heating?
They use different technologies and fuels, so appliance efficiency alone does not determine running cost. Electric infrared produces heat at the point of use, while gas boilers have combustion and distribution considerations. The building's heat demand, energy prices and controls all affect overall performance and cost.
Does infrared heating require a boiler?
No. Electric infrared heaters do not require a boiler or water-filled radiator circuit for space heating.
Can infrared heating work with solar panels?
Yes. Infrared heaters use electricity and can therefore use electricity generated by solar PV when it is available. However, heating demand and solar generation do not always coincide, so grid electricity or storage may still be required.
Is infrared heating suitable for an older house?
It can be. Infrared can reduce the need to install new wet heating pipework, which may be useful in renovation and heritage projects. Older properties can also have significant heat loss, so heater output and positioning need to be calculated carefully.
Is infrared heating suitable for a new build?
It can be considered as part of an all-electric new-build heating strategy. The decision should take account of heat demand, building fabric, controls, domestic hot water, electrical capacity and any planned solar PV or energy storage.
What happens to my hot water if I remove my gas boiler?
Infrared heaters provide space heating rather than domestic hot water. If your gas boiler currently provides hot water, you will need a separate electric or other suitable hot-water system.
Can I control infrared heating room by room?
Yes. A correctly designed infrared system can use separate thermostatic controls or heating zones so rooms can follow different temperatures and schedules.
Considering replacing gas with infrared?
Whether you're renovating one room, replacing an entire heating system or designing a new property, start by establishing how much heat the building actually requires.