Since the energy price cap increased again (+2% between October 1 – 31 December 2025), if you’ve been thinking about the best alternative heating solutions to gas, you’re not alone. In the build up to the autumn season, searches for gas alternatives have increased by 88% in the past quarter, with many property owners looking for low-carbon, energy-efficient gas boiler alternatives such as electric heating.
With new heating regulations on the horizon, like The Future Homes Standard encouraging homes to be entirely gas free, choosing the right heating system can feel overwhelming. You’ll want to make sure that your investment is future-proof for regulatory changes and it will do a brilliant job of heating your home reliably.
There are many cost-effective central heating alternative solutions available, so let’s break down what these options are and why electric heating could be the best option for your home.
Why are gas boilers being phased out?
There are many boiler alternatives on the market today, but electric options often deliver the best balance of efficiency and cost savings. Electric heating systems are one of the key ways homes can reduce their fossil-fuel usage, with gas boilers gradually becoming phased out in new build property installations and retrofits.
Domestic heating still makes up a large share of the UK’s emissions, accounting for around 14% of carbon emissions. In a bid to reduce this, switching to low-carbon heat is a core part of the Climate Change Committee’s strategy.
By 2050, their goal is for all home heating to come from low-carbon sources as part of the government’s net-zero target. This includes new build properties, where property developers are being encouraged to install renewable energy solutions like solar panels and heat pumps.
Electric systems also provide a practical alternative to gas central heating, particularly in new homes aiming for net-zero compliance.
What cost and energy savings could you make switching to gas boiler alternatives?
When switching from older inefficient gas systems, the potential for energy and cost savings can be significant, especially when combined with smarter heating controls.
- The Energy Saving Trust states that upgrading from a G-rated gas boiler to an A-rated one (even staying on gas) could save the average household around £420 in Great Britain.
- A recent study suggests that with improved electricity prices, heat pumps could halve heating bills, saving homes around £445 per year compared to using a gas boiler.
- If the average home switched to low-carbon heating solutions powered by electricity, they could reduce emissions by 79%, saving 1.25 tonnes of CO2 per year.
- If one in three homes switched to a heat pump using electric heating, they could save 0.8 tonnes of CO2 per year.
While savings depend on the property’s insulation, size, tariffs and typical energy usage, these insights show the potential savings your wallet and the planet would benefit from if you swapped to an alternative electric heating system vs a gas boiler.
The best electric heating alternatives to gas boilers
Given the expected changes in heating regulation and with pressure amounting to achieve the net zero 2050 targets, here’s some of the best electric heating alternatives to installing a gas boiler.
- Air-source heat pumps are a popular low-carbon solution for well-insulated homes or new builds. An air source heat pump moves existing heat from the air outside, heating water that flows through your pipes and radiators. With government grants available for heat pumps, it’s a more affordable, clean, energy-efficient way to heat your home without relying on fossil fuels like a gas boiler does.
- Electric radiators are perfect for smaller properties and homeowners who need efficient direct-electric heating. Electric radiators operate using a convection chamber which draws cold air from the floor, distributing heat evenly throughout the room. Installation is simple and by using modern controls you’ll benefit from timely room-by-room heating.
- Electric boilers are a great option for homes where an existing network of radiators or underfloor heating is installed, and you’re looking to switch over from gas. Electric boilers save money on your utility bills as they automatically reduce power by up to 50% if it senses you need less energy over the next hour to heat your home. If you have no room to install a heat pump, for example, electric boilers are an ideal energy efficient heating alternative since they take up less space. Plus, compared to a gas boiler, the installation is simple as they don’t involve a flue.
- Electric hybrid heating systems are suitable for homes needing a low-carbon update and the flexibility to combine electric heating solutions, like a heat pump, with existing gas systems. Electric hybrid heating systems are a cost-effective way to future-proof your home sustainably over time. For example, a heat pump connected to an existing gas boiler can provide up to 90% of efficient heating over winter, with the gas boiler providing just 10%, utilising energy production where more heat is required on the coldest of days. For homeowners who prefer to keep their existing system but reduce emissions, combining renewables with an environmentally friendly boiler is a smart step forward.
- Electric water heating is a compact gas alternative where cold water passes through a heat-exchanger embedded in the battery. An electric water heater receives heat when hot-water is required and because the heat bank is stored, the unit can deliver hot water on demand until the stored heat depletes, and then it recharges.
- Electric wireless thermostats provide room-by room heating control, making them the perfect companion with electric radiators. Create economic temperature zones, using wireless smart-thermostats to schedule the central heating to switch on (including heating at 30-minute intervals) and adjust as and when you need more heat.
When it comes to updating your home with the best gas boiler central heating alternatives, it’s about installing an efficient low-carbon replacement that’s best suited to your home.
Each electric heating solution addresses the energy-efficient needs of different property types, budget and use case scenarios, so whether you switch to a gas boiler alternative in one go, or steadily utilise a hybrid heating system, what’s key is shifting away from total fossil-fuel reliance and head towards a smarter, low-carbon electric-heating home ecosystem.
Future-proof your home with the best gas alternatives
Get ahead of regulatory and energy price changes. Investing in an electric heating system (or hybrid) is not just a green choice, it’s a smart one.
With Fischer Future Heat’s full suite of gas boiler alternatives, there are many cost-effective options to future-proof your home in a way that suits your property and household best.
Explore Fischer’s range of alternatives to gas boilers and browse our electric heating solutions – from smart radiators to hybrid systems, and future-proof your home for years to come.
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