The standard option for heating a private house or apartment is a gas boiler and water heating. There are alternatives: the apartment is equipped with an electric system, and in its own house there is an autonomous gas supply. Both gas and electricity have many advantages.
Factors Affecting the Profitability of Two Options
The main choice is cost. But all the components should be evaluated: the price of the energy source, the cost of equipment, the timing and price of installation and maintenance. Also take into account the cost of repair and inspection.
To install a gas boiler and a gas holder, a gas service permit is required. For an electric boiler or heaters, permission is not necessary.
Gas and electricity costs
Heating is designed to compensate for the heat loss that a house or apartment has in winter. The volume of electricity or gas consumption is calculated from this value. Determine the duration of the heating period - E, in hours. When computing errors are allowed, therefore, consider:
- Efficiency of an electric boiler - 98%;
- Gas efficiency - 92%;
- the calorific value of liquefied gas varies from 12.6 to 24.4 kW * h / kg.
All values are substituted in the formula and get:
- V= Q × E / (1260 × 0.92), where V - the volume of liquefied gas, and Q - the warmth of the building. The calorific value of the propane-butane mixture is better calculated on the basis of minimum indicators.
- V= Q × E / 0.98, where V - conditional amount of electricity.
- multiplied by the amount of gas obtained and find out how much the heating costs.
To understand what is more expensive - gas from a gas tank or electricity, calculate the cost.
- On average, with a single tariff connection, 1 kW of electricity costs 3.2 p. The price is multiplied by the conditional amount of energy and the cost of heating for the entire period is obtained. With a two-tariff connection, the amount will be less.
- The cost of a liquefied gas mixture is on average 18 p. per kg
As a result of the calculations, it turns out that 1 kW / h of electricity in the single-tariff variant is within 4.05 r, in the two-tariff version - 1.26 r. The cost of 1 kW when operating on reduced gas is 2.65 p.
Operation and Maintenance Costs
From this point of view, electricity turns out to be much more profitable than a gas tank, and in any case: an electric boiler with water heating or electric stationary heaters.
Maintenance of an autonomous heating or gas supply system is more expensive:
- Installation and inspection of the gas pipeline stove and boiler, and even a gas meter can only be done by an employee of the gas service. Electric heaters or an electric boiler do not need to be checked periodically.
- If any of the devices fails, you must call the gas service. The cost of repair or replacement depends on the type of equipment.
- The gas supply replacement procedure is more complicated and takes longer than replacing an electrical appliance.
- The fuel tank in the gas tank must be replenished. Transportation and injection of gas paid by the consumer.
When changing the heating method, for example, connecting to a gas main, in either case it is necessary to completely change the equipment.
Starting investments
The total cost of the energy supply system is determined by capital investments. If the house is equipped with an electrical system, starting investments look like this:
- purchase and installation of an electric boiler is carried out at any time and does not require permission;
- an electric stove, a boiler, an oven are bought in a store, installed in any convenient place and plugged into an outlet.
The only limitation is wiring. If the house is equipped with an electric heating system, it is worth installing a three-phase electric network.
Investments in the organization of autonomous gas supply are much higher:
- development and approval of a gasification project;
- under the tank you need to dig a pit, lay the gas pipeline underground and fill in the trenches;
- acquisition, installation and connection of a gas boiler - is carried out only with permission and only by gas service employees;
- laying a gas pipeline in the house.
The cost of almost any electric apparatus is lower than a gas one. Capital investments during gasification are much higher.
Comparison of the cost of gas and electricity
What to choose - a gas holder as a source of fuel or electricity, also depends on specific conditions: type of housing, value of tariffs, the ability to influence the cost of a particular energy source.
When used in the house
In a private house, the source of energy can be main gas, a propane-butane mixture from a gas holder and electricity:
- when using electricity with a single tariff connection and the price of electricity is 3.2 p. the cost of heating will be 147.2 thousand rubles;
- with a two-tariff, the amount decreases to 95 thousand p;
- if main gas is used as an energy source, heating costs up to 34 thousand rubles;
- if liquefied gas - 140.5 thousand rubles
It is most advantageous to connect to the gas pipeline. The second most economical way is a two-tariff connection. One-tariff connection and gas tank have the same cost.
In the apartment
There is less choice: main gas or electricity. According to previous calculations, it is clear that preference should be given to centralized gas supply.
If the owner of the apartment has the right to privileges when paying for electricity, the installation of an electric stove may be more profitable, given that the initial cost of gas appliances, their maintenance and installation are more expensive than electric ones.
Advantages and disadvantages
And the gas tank, and electricity, and main gas has its pros and cons. It concerns not only the prices for use and maintenance.
Electric heating
Advantages of the solution:
- safety - the risk of short circuit is reduced to a minimum;
- installation of the appliance is reduced to mounting on the wall and plugging it into a power outlet;
- No installation permission required
- repairs are quick; inspection is rare.
Disadvantages:
- in the event of an accident or a planned outage, the house remains without heating;
- electricity is the most expensive source of energy;
- with a large area of the home, you will have to install three-phase wiring.
Electrical appliances are noticeably simpler and more convenient to use, provide high precision settings.
Gas holder
Advantages of autonomous gas supply:
- independence from the gas main;
- constant gas supply under the same pressure;
- safety - even with a gas leak, it leaves into the soil, which eliminates fire or explosion;
- It is possible to establish autonomous gas supply at any site and under any weather conditions.
Disadvantages:
- the cost of liquefied gas is less than electricity, but its calorific value is lower, heating costs are comparable to the use of electricity;
- the installation of a gas tank and a gas pipeline requires voluminous earthwork, you need to prepare a place for gas appliances in the house;
- installation of the system requires permission;
- inspection, repair and replacement of any parts of the gas supply is carried out only by gas workers.
Autonomous gas supply provides a higher degree of independence.
Ease of use
Ease of maintenance and use is an important feature. For convenience, the consumer pays extra.
Electric boiler
The device is equipped with a control module and multi-stage safety automatics. The setup is extremely simple and carried out by the consumer. If the device is equipped with a programmer, you can also set the operating mode - for example, power reduction at night, on and off times, and so on.
Gas holder
The operation of the gas tank itself is also not complicated. The tank operates in automatic mode. The owner periodically checks the fuel level with a sensor and, if necessary, buys a gas mixture. The download is performed by the supplier.
To make the right decision, you need to evaluate all the factors. For example, if elderly people live in a private house, electricity is preferable - it is safer. If there are interruptions in the supply of electricity, it is better to install a gas tank.
