I would like to know how much it would cost to use an electric blanket when replacing my central heating, please.
I have an electric throw, like a blanket with a heating element. When I turn it on and wrap it around me it’s so cozy that I don’t need to heat the center.
As a result, how much lower would my electric bills be if I just used my blanket and didn’t turn on my heating? I will post information about my cast and pot.
Sam Barker of This Is Money replies: As the mercury drops, so do readers’ questions about heating.
Electric bills are high, and they add up in no time.
Ofgem’s active compensation fund is now available £1,717 a year for average energy use, it will rise by 1.2 per cent to £1,738 on 1 January 2025.
Blanket rule?: Most electric blankets are designed to lie on, but some wrap around the body.
However, as I said in reply to a similar question I recently had a hard time correctly answering questions like ‘what’s smaller, X or Y’.
That’s because every house and every person is different, and things like mist efficiency, ventilation level and ventilation all play a role in influencing the answer.
That said, on paper it’s cheaper to use an electric heater than central heating.
Your 160 watt (0.16kw) costs 4p an hour, assuming you are on the electricity tariff where unit rates are capped at 24.5p per kilowatt-hour (kWh ).
Your 25kw combi boiler, by comparison, costs £1.56 to run your central heating for an hour, assuming you’re paying 6.24p per/kWh for gas on the rate of return, and your pot is 90 percent efficient.
It will cost £1.56 less, because when your house temperature reaches your thermostat then your tap will turn off, which will be less than an hour.
But no matter which way you cut it, it’s clear that the cost of electricity is a small fraction of the cost of replacing your central heating.
However, the easy comparisons end there.
You’ll be much warmer – and less – using your electric throw, and these are great tools, as well as dedicated fans.
But the whip is only warming you up, so when you take it off you feel a strong chill.
You can’t keep it straight, so I think you have to rely on a combination of the cast and your warm up.
A cold house is also bad – for the house.
Failure to heat your home can result in mold and mildew, which comes with a repair bill that will cost less than just running central heating.
There is also the initial cost of the electric blanket. Usually between £50-£70, depending on the make and dealer.
