Heating your home the economic way

There are several ways to heat your home in the Canary Islands. Each method has its pros and cons, but if we define the “best” option as the one that’s cheapest to run, a few options stand out above the rest.

Air conditioning

Air conditioning is often thought of as a cooling appliance, but most systems also work in reverse and can heat your home. In fact, they’re often more efficient at heating than they are at cooling.
The exact efficiency depends on the system, but it’s typical to see 300% to 600% efficiency—that means for every 1kW of electricity used, you get 3 to 6kW of heat. That makes it the cheapest heating option to run in most cases.
Most systems will work even when the outdoor temperature drops below freezing, and cloudy days won’t affect performance. Installation is fairly straightforward, depending on your property layout, and of course, you get the added bonus of cooling in summer too.
The downside? It’s one of the more expensive systems to install—but the savings on running costs can quickly pay that back.

Electric heaters

This is by far the least efficient option. In theory, electric heaters max out at 100% efficiency, but in practice, it’s often lower—closer to 90%.
All electric heaters—whether they’re halogen, convector, or fan-type—work the same way: they turn electricity into heat. But they use a lot of power, and in Lanzarote, that’s a problem. Most houses have low-rated fuses, so you often can’t run more than one or two heaters without tripping the power.
As a rough guide, you could heat five rooms with air conditioning for less than it would cost to heat one room with an electric heater.
That said, they are cheap to buy, which is their only real advantage.

Gas heaters

Gas heaters seem like the perfect solution: cheap to buy, cheap to run, and all you need to do is change the gas bottle now and then.
But there are serious downsides.
They increase humidity in the room, which makes it feel colder and harder to heat. That excess humidity can also lead to mould, especially in corners or on ceilings where airflow is poor.
They’re also bad for your health. Gas heaters release dangerous fumes like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, benzene, butadiene, and formaldehyde. For anyone with asthma or respiratory issues, that’s a big risk.
We strongly recommend against using gas heaters. But if you do, it’s absolutely critical to install a carbon monoxide alarm—carbon monoxide poisoning can cause permanent disability or even death.

Pellet burners

Pellet burners look great and add a cosy atmosphere to a room. Cost-wise, they’re similar to air conditioning systems to buy and install—so they’re at the higher end of the scale.
Running costs are fairly low, and they’re safer than gas heaters when installed correctly. However, they do require regular maintenance, and you’ll need to use good-quality pellets to avoid releasing harmful fumes.
As with gas heaters, you should install a carbon monoxide alarm for safety.

Oil filled radiators

These work much like other electric heaters: they turn electricity into heat, which means they’ll never be more than 100% efficient.
They store heat in oil, so they take longer to warm up and cool down, which makes them a little more comfortable—but they still cost about the same to run as other electric heaters. That is to say: a lot.
They’re slightly better than fan or halogen heaters, but still not a good option for regular use.

Air-water heat pumps

Over the last decade, air-to-water heat pump systems have gained popularity for central heating due to their extremely low running costs.
They work like air conditioning units but are designed to heat water, which can then be used in:

• Convection radiators
• Fan coil units
• Underfloor heating
• Domestic hot water systems
• Even swimming pools

Summary

So, what’s the best heating option?
Well—as always—it depends on your situation. Here's what we recommend: