Heating without gas starts with a plan for the whole building. Which rooms need warmth, how much heat do they lose and how will domestic hot water be made? Infrared panels are one electric option alongside heat pumps and others. Where district heating exists or is planned, include that option too. The suitable route depends on building, use, budget and infrastructure.
This guide organises questions before a switch. We present no universal winner or guarantee of lower monthly costs. Compare investment, consumption, comfort, maintenance and electrical connection together. A room with electric supplementary heating is not yet a fully gas-free home.
Key points
These five steps form the basis of your gas-free heating plan:
- Map the building: record insulation, ventilation, use and ways to reduce heat demand.
- Have heat demand determined: assess capacity and heat emission needed for each room.
- Compare complete solutions: include installation, consumption, maintenance and local heating plans where relevant.
- Plan other services: assess domestic hot water, cooking and combined electrical load.
- Record costs and conditions: check quotations and any schemes with the responsible administering body.
Heating without gas starts with the whole building
First map current use: space heating, domestic hot water and cooking. Examine insulation, glazing, ventilation and improvement opportunities. A new heat source does not eliminate existing losses. Local heating plans may affect your choices; ask the municipality and relevant network organisations about your address.
Sequence measures and coordinate work. Before ending gas supply, check that all remaining applications have a suitable alternative. Do not count on a fixed subsidy, tariff development or property-value rise without current evidence. Keep quotations and comparison assumptions.
When should you investigate infrared as primary heating?
Electric infrared panels release heat through radiation and convection. They can be controlled by room if the system is arranged accordingly. For primary heating, capacity, distribution and controls must meet demand under design conditions. A favourable energy label or small floor area alone does not prove suitability.
Wall or ceiling mounting may free space if permitted for the model. Heat must reach occupied spots without furniture screening everything. No position guarantees every corner or draught-free comfort. Ventilation and cleaning remain necessary; the appliance does not treat respiratory complaints or guarantee against mould.
Comparing heat pumps and resistance heating fairly
A resistance panel eventually converts almost all electricity to heat. A heat pump also transfers heat from a source and can deliver several kilowatt-hours of heat per kilowatt-hour of electricity. Performance depends on source, temperatures, design and use. Cold weather does not automatically make a suitably designed heat pump less efficient than a resistance panel.
Compare complete systems: appliance, heat emission, controls, installation, connection, energy and maintenance. Heat pumps do not all have the same construction or outdoor unit, and infrared does not always need just one existing socket. Lower purchase cost may accompany higher running costs. Assess a suitable period and use the same space-heating and hot-water demand.
Ask for calculated or measured seasonal performance and its conditions. Do not compare just one COP number with a radiant percentage; they describe different things. Zoned supplementary heat may suit, but add its electricity use to primary-system consumption.
Planning room by room without forgetting the home
Record use, desired temperature, heat loss and available mounting for each room. Use zones to limit unnecessary comfort heating while considering other occupants and necessary moisture or frost protection. Parts of open spaces still exchange heat. A separate app zone does not create a thermally enclosed room.
In bathrooms, assess each electrical component by exact position, model approval, IP protection and installation. In bedrooms, follow conditions for sleeping or unattended use too. A heating panel does not guarantee better sleep. Hot water and cooking need separate solutions; room panels do not perform those functions.
Have electrical supply and simultaneous load calculated including cooking, hot water, charging and other major consumers. Do not assume zone programmes prevent all panels starting together. Required supply capacity differs by home and installation. Discuss alterations and timing with installer and network organisation.
Our advice on heating without gas
We supply panels and controls to private and business end users, installers and wholesalers. Share building details, current consumption, usage wishes and existing installations. We discuss where our products may fit and what further technical assessment is needed. Assumptions and missing data must remain identifiable in a proposal.
Deciding with a view of total costs
Before commissioning work, check capacity, mounting, electrical work, operation and maintenance. Review warranties by component and agree on checks after commissioning. A low-maintenance panel still requires cleaning and inspection as instructed. A complete overview lets you choose a gas-free route matching building and use.
Frequently asked questions
Are subsidies part of the comparison?
Only after checking the current scheme, product conditions and your situation with the administering body. A subsidy for another technology does not automatically apply to infrared panels. Also calculate without unconfirmed subsidies so the choice does not rest on uncertainty.