In view of the impending gas shortage, consumers are stocking up on fan heaters and other electrically powered direct heating systems. These are a very expensive emergency solution at best. The energy advice from the Baden-Württemberg Consumer Center summarizes the most important facts.

The most important facts about direct heating

A household typically has an annual electricity consumption of 2,000 - 3,500 kilowatt hours plus heat consumption of 10,000 - 35,000 kilowatt hours. Consumption varies greatly in individual cases. If the entire heat consumption were covered by the socket, the electricity bill would increase five to ten times. It is irrelevant whether fan heaters, electric radiators or infrared heaters are used to warm the rooms. The energy consumption is basically the same for all direct electrical heat applications: one kilowatt hour of electricity is required to obtain one kilowatt hour of heat.

It follows:

  • For customers with old contracts who pay gas prices of around 14 cents per kilowatt hour and around 41 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity, it does not make economic sense to heat with electricity as long as gas is available. 
  • The costs per kilowatt hour of useful heat would almost triple.

In contrast to electric direct heating, the situation is different with heat pumps: they generate the same amount of heat from a quarter of the electricity and are therefore considered a recommended heating technology from an economic and ecological point of view. However, installing a heat pump requires a lot of time and significant investment costs. For this reason, purchasing them is a medium to long-term solution.

Investments

With a price of around 25 euros, fan heaters are the cheapest purchase. The disadvantage is, on the one hand, the noise they produce and, on the other hand, the burning of dust on the heating wires. This so-called dust smoldering significantly affects the air quality.

Infrared heaters are available in stores from around 300 euros. They are quiet and visually less noticeable. Contrary to many advertising claims, they do not use significantly less electricity than other electric heaters.

With investment costs starting at around 100 euros, electric radiators are in the middle price range of electric heaters. They are electrically heated radiators filled with a “thermal oil” and are usually equipped with furniture castors for mobile use. They give off heat like a central heating radiator, aim to warm entire rooms and are less targeted at people.

Ecological aspects of direct heating

From an ecological point of view, gas heaters perform better than direct electric heaters. Even though electric heaters are gradually improving as the proportion of renewable electricity in the network increases, gas heaters currently cause fewer greenhouse gases. If the demand for electricity rises sharply due to the lack of gas, the proportion of renewable electricity falls again because the additional demand is met in the short term with more coal-fired electricity. This means that the ecology of electric heating systems continues to deteriorate.

Conclusion

Despite the many disadvantages, electric heaters can be part of your personal “emergency strategy”. , recommends:

“If possible, avoid electrically operated direct heating systems. If that's not possible, only use electric heaters selectively in the rooms you're currently in and when it really feels too cold."

Tina Götsch, energy consulting expert at the Baden-Württemberg Consumer Center

Then aim the heating source specifically at the people who are in the room. Infrared heating panels should also be installed so that people are sitting directly in front of them.

Help from the energy advice from the consumer advice center

If you have any questions about heating and the right energy supply, the energy advice from the consumer advice center can help with its extensive range of services. The consultation takes place online, by telephone or in a personal conversation. Our energy experts provide individual, provider-independent advice. More information is available at www.verbraucherzentrale-energieberatung.de or nationwide free of charge on 0800 – 809 802 400 . The consumer advice center's energy advice is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection.

Information on the subject of heating can be found in the free online lectures from the consumer advice center's energy advice service.

Source: Baden-Württemberg Consumer Center

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