Heating Cost Calculator
Enter your home area, insulation level, heating system and energy price. The calculator estimates the season cost, the monthly figure over a 180-day season, and what every degree off the thermostat saves.
Supplier calculators quote their own tariff. This one shows the model - watts per square metre by insulation, system efficiency as a simple factor - so you can argue with it, and points at the fixes in true payback order.
How to use
- Enter living area (heated rooms only - the unheated hallway is not your enemy).
- Be honest about insulation: drafty sash windows are 'poor' no matter what the estate agent said.
- Set your energy price from the latest bill; heat-pump households keep the price but pick the pump.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to heat 80 m²?
Average insulation on gas at 0.15 per kWh lands around 1,500-1,700 per 180-day season at 8 h/day. Poor insulation can nearly double it; a heat pump cuts the same house by roughly two thirds.
How much does 1 degree lower save?
About 6% of the heating bill per degree - on a 1,500 season that is 90 per degree, sustained. A night setback to 17 °C costs nothing in comfort under a duvet and books real money over a season.
Is a heat pump cheaper than a gas boiler?
Usually yes on running cost: a COP around 3 turns each purchased kWh into three of heat, so even against cheap gas the pump often wins, and always on emissions. Upfront cost is the trade-off - the calculator lets you compare both at your prices.
What is the cheapest way to cut heating costs?
In order: draft-proofing and behavioural setbacks (near-free), loft insulation (pays back in years), heating system upgrade (big but slow), windows last. Money spent in that order buys the most degree-hours per unit.