Can stop using my gas heating completely

Now my electricity energy is much cheaper than my natural gas. Can I go without oil at all? I mean, can I turn off the burner completely? In my area, natural gas is 35 cents/kwh and electricity is 22 cents/kwh. In the meantime I got some IR panels and have been trying to run the IR heater on for a month now and surprisingly it works. I even use electricity to charge my car. My natural gas contract only needs 1 month's notice to go into effect. Can I cancel and not use gas heating?

It's theoretically possible, but then again you're stuck with a local base supply. You can't completely stop gas delivery because the pipes are physically connected and not easily emptied by each household.

So you'll want to check how much your local basic utility (whoever that is) charges for a monthly subscription. If that fee is higher than what you paid under the contract, you're losing money.

On the other hand, turning off the burner is no big deal. There should also be a general valve somewhere leading to the burner that you can turn off. This is actually a safer way to prevent gas leaks.

By the way, are you sure the gas is only used for heating, not for hot water? Otherwise you have to shower in freezing temperatures which is not funny at all.

When your house is hooked up to natural gas, there will always be a natural gas supplier. If you cancel the contract, a new contract ("basic service") will appear. The same goes for electricity.

Soft option: Stop using gas and tell your gas supplier to reduce your advance payment (“advance payment”) to zero. The advantage of this is that if electricity prices go up, you can switch back to gas (22ct is less than half the current market electricity price - are you sure it will stay that cheap?).

Difficult variant: Have a plumber completely disconnect your apartment/house from gas. The plumber notifies the gas network guy and they notifies your gas supplier. (At least that's how electricity works.)

Can't answer your question, but when you rent out your apartment/house, you have an obligation to prevent damage, such as mold in the apartment.

Without heat, the risk of mold is much higher. (Infrared doesn't heat a room, it just heats your body (correct me if I'm wrong here)), and you may be liable for damages in this case.

EDIT: I was wrong about IR, thanks for the corrections everyone :)

Yes, but it hasn't really gotten cold so far, and it certainly hasn't been in a long time.

Electric heating is usually much more expensive, I don't know if this is the case now. But it doesn't have the efficiency of a gas heater. Beware of mold, it happens faster than you think if you don't heat it. By the way...winter hasn't started yet and it's likely to be a lot colder.

My warm water runs through an electric instantaneous water heater, the 20kw heater only runs when the water is running.

In theory yes, but it is not recommended to use the heating plate in a standard outlet for an extended period of time. This is a fire safety hazard. The socket will get hot because the power consumption of the heating plate is much higher than that of ordinary desk lamps and so on.

> You can't completely stop gas delivery because the pipes are physically connected and not easily emptied by each household.

You can, but most of the time it's not worth the effort.

Don't disconnect (this might be difficult anyway), just don't use your gas heater.
When it gets really cold in the winter, open it up a bit to make sure the plumbing stays in place.
Or turn it on (and turn off the electric heater) as soon as your electricity provider raises prices. 1 kWh of electricity will never be cheaper than 1 kWh of natural gas.

Converting electricity to heat is usually 100% efficient, but the opposite (heat to electricity) is usually only 30% efficient. So when gas is used to create electricity and then heat, it is much less efficient than just using gas without the electricity step.

Turning off central heating completely is not a good idea. Water expands when it freezes, so you run the risk of bursting pipes or pipes once the temperature drops below zero. However, you can turn it all the way down, as long as the water doesn't freeze, and most of the heating is done electrically.

No, he wouldn't. The owner has to disconnect the service and take the meter, not the renter.

Why do you think a 10A socket can handle 16A?

I was under the impression that electric heating has 100% efficiency, but it was more expensive than gas before the war. Now that OP pays less for electricity, it might be worth considering.

My electric water heater has a power of 20kw and is an instant water heater. It only operates when water is flowing.

I'm already getting electricity from the Grundversorger, who offers the cheapest price in our region (45c/kWh cheaper than the others). The customer support suggested de-registering my apartment during my vacation, then re-registering when I returned. When I did this, I was automatically with the Grundversorger and got the cheaper tariff. However, this doesn't work with the gas provider - they won't let me stay with them for more than 3 months, so I need to choose another provider.

My sockets are CE certified for 10A. With my 1kwh, I won't exceed this current. The cables behind the sockets are 2.5sq and are rated for up to 16A, so I'm being safe. I noticed this while charging my car, which draws 2.5kwh of constant power. Therefore, I replaced the socket and cable with higher current rating.

Your electric tariff will go up soon, so you won't be paying 22 cents per kWh for much longer.

Where do you get warm water for showering, etc.?

We are using the Grundversorger for the cheapest price in our region. We should pay attention to our mail and check our online status with them each month, as the rate is not fixed. It could go up in the near future, so it's important to compare prices with other suppliers to make sure we're getting the best deal. The Gaspreisbremse may also mean that gas prices drop lower than our electricity costs.

He said the cables are good up until then. Since they are connected to a 10A socket, he kept his distance.

It makes sense, but the efficiency of the generator isn't important, because you pay for what you get at home. You pay 22 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity, which is used 100%, but you pay 35 cents for around 80% of 1 kWh of gas heat, which costs more - 42 cents per kWh.

We haven't had to use our heating yet this year, and it's still above 20°C everywhere apart from the cellar. It could get colder, so I wouldn't depend on electric heating just yet.

Cost isn't the only factor in decisions like these, as efficiency plays an important role. Burning gas directly for heat is more efficient than burning it and converting it to electricity to heat.

Where in Germany are you? It's not winter yet and recently areas in the Ore Mountains had their first frost. If you are lucky, you might have a mild winter. But if you're using IRs to keep warm, they will have a hard time preventing mould because the wall temperature is lower than the rest of the room, causing condensation. If you don't have gas, you should drain the radiator system as it can burst if it gets too cold. You need to keep the house itself warm, not just the people.

for a soldering iron

He meant the cable holds 16A, but the socket is only rated for 10A. This means the cable won't reach 16A. Even 10A at 220V is 2.2kW of heating, which is enough for a soldering iron.

About half of the heat is released from the heater, and the other half is released into the environment.

Has your electricity contract increased prices yet? I think they can change the price per month, although I may be wrong.

I don't think my landlord would have to stop providing me with gas for my apartment just because I want it that way, right?

I have a 3-bedroom house with a basement. Each room has an infrared panel heater, which can keep them warm up to 25°C (except the basement). My energy meter readings show that I use an average of 10kWh per day during the week and 12kWh per day during the weekends. As a result, I pay around 70-80€ for the entire month. This is much more economical than gas heating.

IR heat directed properly can keep walls warmer and make a lower air temperature feel more comfortable. It also helps to prevent mold, but OP should still monitor humidity levels.

I'm looking into getting a couple heaters. When I aim the heater at a wall or floor, it will heat up that area and radiate heat outwards. If I don't aim the heater at anything, the area around it will stay cold.

Yeah, you're right! I remember seeing a diagram with arrows showing the direction of the heat - up, down, left, right, and forward. Thanks, I had forgotten about that.

The wattage of a heater will determine how much current it draws. Generally, the formula W = UI applies, which means that if a heater is rated for 2.2kW, it will draw 10A on a 220V main. A 1.1kW heater, on the other hand, will draw 5A. Keep in mind that these are only nominal loads; spikes can reach up to 16A without causing permanent damage to the socket. However, it is not recommended to run at 16A.

Buying electrical heating/infrared panels is expensive, and it doesn't seem to be worth it since electricity prices have been increasing.

I'm not an expert on electricity, but how many Amps does the heater need? If the socket is rated at 10A but the wire can handle 16A, then the socket is the weak point. If the heater draws more than 10A, even when it's starting up, the socket could overheat or trip the system. Just my thought, as I'm not an electrical engineer.

Germany's grid power is increasingly renewable, with 40% coming from renewables. This makes electric heat more viable and efficient, compared to before.

Global warming is a real issue, but for many people living paycheck to paycheck, cost is the biggest concern, especially right now.

Electricity is cheaper per kWh, but Gas heaters are more efficient than electric ones, so it's better not to use them.

I had my computers mine crypto when the temperature in my apartment was lower than 20C. The apartment was well-insulated, so that setup worked well.

They were certified for 10A, so if OP wishes he can do it. However, if something goes wrong, no insurance will be able to help.

Thanks for the info. It's been really helpful in giving me a better understanding of how German energy companies operate.

Infrared heating is more effective than a radiator at preventing mold. An IR heater warms the wall directly, while a radiator heats the air which then moves around the room, often leaving a damp corner not reached by the circulating air. For mold control, it's important to monitor humidity and use a dehumidifier as needed. The house can remain safe and dry at temperatures as low as 15°C or lower.

If OP is not using a heat pump system, then this is not applicable.

then you’re still saving money in the long run.

You can use gas without a contract, but it won't be as cheap. Consider efficiency too: if one way is 10 times more efficient and costs twice as much as the other, you'll still save money in the end.

I suggest not using the hard option. I recently got a letter saying my electricity will increase by 150% starting from 1.1.2023. It may be better to wait until they do the calculations next year, and they may give you the money back.

To avoid this hassle, the landlord pays for the meter.

The dispute is between you and the gas company, not your landlord.

It's still warm this October and our houses are retaining the heat. But the warm air won't last forever. We'll need to start using heaters to keep our homes at the right temperature. I'm not using the heat yet, but I have been using a foot panel in my office and a wood burner in the living room a few times. We're currently paying around 80 euros a month for a no-heating comfort. Heating will add to this cost. To help reduce heating costs, you could invest in a heated mattress pad and reversible ceiling fans. The fans help circulate the warm air and keep the temperature more balanced.

You may be confusing infrared and microwaves. Microwaves make water molecules vibrate and increase in temperature. Infrared is just heat radiation that comes from a regular heat source. Both of these are types of electromagnetic radiation, however infrared carries more energy.

I'm wondering what my landlord did. When I moved in, the gas had recently been cut off. The previous tenants hadn't replaced the gas cooktop with a new one for at least a year. This indicates that it was a recent, intentional decision. We've heard that the landlord has Heizöl in the tanks. I had to persuade the power company that I didn't have gas, and they finally noticed the note about it being shut off after 10 minutes.

It depends on the wattage of the heater. In general, the old W = UI formula applies. There is a reason many heaters are rated at 2.2kW and 1.1kW, 10A and 5A respectively on 220V mains.

As far as I know, most ratings are actually underrated. 10A is the rated load - but peaks can be as high as 16A without permanently damaging the socket. Just don't drive with 16A. I'm also not a (properly) electrical engineer, despite my training in such fields.