Butane heaters are back — and beating electric heating on price

Butane heaters are back — and beating electric heating on price

A cylinder at 16.20 euros and a heater that had barely been used in four years. That was the starting point: a rented flat in Pamplona sitting at 12 degrees after several days of a long weekend, and a 1,500 W electric radiator that in two hours only raised the temperature from 11 to 13.5 degrees. The result of the experiment, recounted by the person who ran it, was different: the butane heater took the same room from 11 to 19 degrees in under an hour and kept going up to 21. The kilowatt maths, the background noise to this whole story, is what explains why an appliance that was already in homes fifty years ago is still selling.

How much it costs to heat with butane compared to electricity

The price gap is the argument that underpins the whole conversation. Compared with the cost of an electric kilowatt-hour, some maintain that butane gas works out cheaper than mains gas, heating oil and kerosene. Only the heat pump competes with it, and only in areas where temperatures don't hover around zero. In Pamplona, with winters where frosts are routine, that nuance stops being a nuance.

The practical comparison in the material is what convinces the sceptics. A 1,500 W electric radiator consumes 3 kWh in two hours to raise an 18-square-metre room by 2.5 degrees. The butane heater does the job in under an hour, with a gas cost that, at the prices being quoted, works out considerably cheaper. The problem isn't performance, it's logistics: you have to go and pick up the cylinder.

Which butane heater to choose: catalytic, blue flame or infrared

Not all heaters perform the same or consume the same. The catalytic Campingaz model mentioned has a power output of 3,050 W, while the more common DeLonghi blue-flame heater goes up to 4,200 W. That's 35% more power, which translates into the cylinder running out sooner. The estimate used for a blue-flame heater at full power is around 15 days with eight hours of daily use; with the power turned down, the same cylinder can last three or four weeks.

The advice that keeps coming up is to run the heater at full power for the first few minutes, between 10 and 30 depending on how cold the room is, and turn it down to minimum once the temperature is comfortable. The blue flame heats faster and pushes hot air upwards, which allows you to switch it off and rely on the residual heat for a while.

The humidity problem and mandatory ventilation

Butane heaters add moisture to the air. It's the drawback that comes up in every account, along with the need to ventilate. The recommendation is to open the windows for a few minutes every six or seven hours, and to cross-ventilate with a gap at the other end of the flat so the air is genuinely renewed. A dehumidifier helps, though it isn't always necessary because the heater raises the temperature a lot.

Some people have noticed damp clothes in their wardrobes and decided to buy a dehumidifier. The carbon monoxide detector that some models include is the other safety antiestéticature mentioned, though it doesn't hurt to have an additional one with an audible alarm.

The cylinder: contract, price and compatibility

The cylinder price quoted in the material is 16.20 euros. Repsol and Cepsa cylinders are interchangeable in practice, though each company requires its own contract. The Cepsa contract can be set up on the spot at a petrol station at no cost, and lets you take away two cylinders paying only for the gas. Repsol cylinders can be sold second-hand or given away.

Cepsa cylinders are made of aluminium and weigh less than Repsol's, which are made of iron, but the gas content is the same. Cepsa doesn't deliver to homes, supplying only through petrol stations. The blue Campingaz cylinders are far more expensive per kilo, and to use them with standard cylinders you have to swap the 28-millibar regulator for a 30 one and extend the hose.

Safety: what long-term users say

Worry about explosions runs through the debate. The technical explanation given is that the cylinder itself cannot explode because there is no oxygen inside, only gas; what can explode is the mix of gas and air in the room if there is a leak. The cylinders have a safety valve that releases gas in the event of overpressure, such as can occur in a fire.

The safety pressure switch prevents the flame from travelling back. The recommendations that keep coming up are to keep the cylinder upright at all times, switch it off before going to bed and ventilate. Installing a portable heater doesn't require a certificate, though if you want a supply contract with Repsol you'll need a plumber to inspect and certify the hose and the fittings.

---

Butane heats fast, costs less and forces you to haul the cylinder around. The open question is how long that price advantage will last before the next cylinder price rise narrows it.