Butane, natural gas or electric: the real cost of hot water

Butane, natural gas or electric: the real cost of hot water

Hot water is one of those expenses you only notice when the bill arrives. And the conclusion drawn from the figures shared by those who have tried all three options is uncomfortable: butane wins on pure cost, natural gas takes the crown for convenience, and an electric water heater is a money pit unless you discipline it. The trap lies in natural gas fixed charges, which, according to a breakdown circulating in the discussion, turn a bill of 10 euros in real consumption into a 55-euro invoice.

The starting scenario is a home with community central heating. Gas would only be used for the water heater. That's where the first problem appears: signing up for natural gas means paying a monthly minimum even if you consume nothing, plus periodic inspections. One cited case: 40 euros of consumption plus 30 of minimum. Another: 10 euros of real consumption and a final bill of 55. The question hanging in the air is whether it's worth paying for not using.

Natural gas fixed charge: paying for not consuming

The breakdown of a bimonthly natural gas bill for two working people who only use it for showers leaves little room for interpretation, according to the person telling it: 10 euros of consumption, 15 in fixed costs, 20 for the inspection service and the rest in taxes. Total: 55 euros. The conclusion of the person suffering it is that it's an outright rip-off. For anyone away for fifteen days, the charge keeps running. And for someone living alone, the minimum eats up any savings.

Some argue that, even so, natural gas pays off if you also cook with it. With three people at home, the difference compared to butane can be as little as 2 or 3 euros a month. The full calculation, with cooking and water heater consumption, gives a difference that surprises for how narrow it is. But that margin shrinks when consumption is low or the home sits empty for long periods.

Butane: the cheapest option and the most inconvenient

Butane is the most economical option, no argument. A cylinder costs around 16 or 17 euros and can last between a month and 35 or 40 days for three people using it for showers and cooking. A family that switched from an electric water heater to butane went from paying 265 euros of electricity in a two-month period to 170, and from 180 to 130 in the next. The savings are considerable. The problem isn't the price, it's the logistics: hauling the cylinder around, waiting on the delivery man, having space to store it. Some opt for swapping it at a petrol station while running other errands.

Modern butane water heaters no longer need to be lit by hand. They run on a battery and activate when you turn on the tap. Forced-draught models with a plug have no pilot light and switch off when you close the tap. Temperature regulation is key: setting the flame to the minimum necessary and fine-tuning with the tap cuts energy use by more than half, according to one user. In summer, with a tiny flame, the water comes out more than hot enough.

Electric water heater: comfort at a premium price

An electric water heater is convenient, but its uncontrolled consumption is brutal. Bills of 80 to 100 euros a month are common, according to one user. The solution is to programme it to charge during off-peak hours and keep only the essential on during peak times. With a 10-euro digital timer, some have gone from 80-100 down to 40-50 euros a month without losing comfort. Limescale build-up on the heating element is a real problem, though it can be solved with periodic maintenance.

Against this, aerothermal energy is presented as the efficient alternative. A system like the Nuos, with a heat pump, promises to pay for itself in three years: 1,300 euros of initial cost plus 1,300 of use, versus 200 plus 4,900 for a conventional water heater. The estimated saving over ten years is 2,500 euros. The catch: it requires an outdoor unit and building work, and it cools the room where it's installed if not properly ventilated.

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The decision depends on real consumption. For a single person who only uses hot water for showering, butane is unbeatable. For a family that cooks and showers daily, natural gas can pay off if you accept the fixed charge. An electric water heater only makes sense with a time-of-use tariff and strict programming. The prediction, with reservations: if butane disappears from some areas, as one participant antiestéticars, natural gas would be left with a captive market and fixed charges could rise. Then there would be no debate left.