A space heater instead of central heating? Not a good idea!

Electric heaters are not an economical alternative to central heating. Heating with electricity is significantly more expensive than with oil or gas. Furthermore, there is a risk of grid overload and an increased fire hazard. Modern heat cost allocators detect external heat sources, so electric heaters have little impact on consumption. Landlords should rely on proven heating systems and energy-saving tips.

Why many people opt for space heaters instead of central heating – and why this is misleading.

With rising oil and gas prices, many homeowners are considering electric heating devices such as fan heaters or radiators. These devices are often sold out, especially at the start of the heating season. The hope is that electric heating could reduce energy costs. However, the opposite is true.

Heating with electricity is not cheaper, but usually twice as expensive as with a central heating system that uses oil or gas.

How expensive are fan heaters compared to central heating?

An example calculation for a 75 square meter apartment shows:

Electric heating appliances cost up to twice as much as oil or gas heating systems.
Even with high prices for oil (1,60 euros per liter) and gas (0,18 euros per kilowatt hour), electric heating remains more expensive.
Rising oil and gas prices can also increase electricity costs, exacerbating the disadvantage.

Besides the costs, the widespread use of electric heaters risks overloading the power grid. Energy suppliers are therefore warning against using fan heaters as the primary heating source.

How do heat cost allocators react to fan heaters?

Many landlords are wondering whether Heat cost allocator How to accurately measure energy consumption when using additional electric heating. The answer depends on the type of appliance:

Modern electronic heat cost allocators with external heat detection recognize the additional heat from fan heaters and do not record it as consumption.
Older devices that use the evaporation principle may produce false readings, but the error remains small because external heat sources are factored in anyway.

Conclusion: Fan heaters are not an alternative to central heating

Electric heaters are not suitable for permanently replacing radiators or underfloor heating.
They are expensive to operate and increase the risk of fire if used uncontrolled.
Central heating systems using oil or gas remain more economical and reliable.
Energy-saving tips help to reduce heating costs even with conventional heating systems.

Minol recommends: Use fan heaters only in exceptional circumstances, for example, if the heating system fails. Central heating systems remain the better choice for a continuous heat supply.

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