🔥 Gas, radiators or air conditioning? The definitive guide to saving on heating in Girona

When it comes to heating our homes, we all want the same thing: comfort, efficiency and a bill that doesn't hurt . But... which system is really more economical?

At ImmoGirona we have analyzed real consumption data from a family in Girona with a 200 m² house, 5 bedrooms, city gas heating, electric radiators and air conditioning with heat pump. The result is very surprising.

💡 1. Which heating system is cheaper (according to actual bills)?

Based on two actual electricity and gas bills, the cost to generate 1 kWh of heat is:

• Air conditioning (heat pump): ~0.045 €/kWh
  👉 The cheapest by far

• City gas (boiler): ~0.085 €/kWh
  👉 Economical, but heats the whole house even when it's not needed

• Electric radiators: ~0.158 €/kWh
  👉 The most expensive system of all

Key difference: air conditioning is up to 3 times more efficient than an electric radiator.

🏠 2. What happens when we only want to heat some rooms?

In many homes, it is not necessary to heat 200 m². Life is lived in:

• Dining room

• Children's rooms

• Office

• Suite

Heating the entire house with gas involves doing everything at once , but heating just three or four rooms with radiators or AC can be much more efficient.

Real comparison (winter evening)

• Gas for the whole house (200 m²): ~€4.25

• 3 radiators + 2 splits in the dining room (100 m²): ~€2.55
  → A 40% saving

By only heating half of the surface, the bill drops drastically.

🌡️ 3. Smart strategy: Gas at 20 °C + occasional radiators to raise to 22–23 °C

A very efficient strategy is:

• Set gas to 20°C to keep the whole house comfortable.

• Use radiators with thermostats only in rooms that need the most heat.

Result:

• Comfort throughout the house

• Warmer rooms where needed

• Very moderate increase in consumption

• Only 5–10% more than using pure gas at 20 °C

It is a balanced and economical way to improve comfort without blowing the bill.

❄️🔥 4. The best option for the future: Splits in the rooms

If we think in the medium term, the ideal combination is:

• Gas or heat pump in the dining room as a base

• Splits in the bedrooms and office to provide extra heat only where needed

• Goodbye electric radiators (the most expensive)

Benefits

• Up to €300–600 in annual savings

• More winter comfort

• Fresh and silent air in summer

• Payback in 5–7 years

🧡 5. ImmoGirona Conclusion

For a typical house in Girona:

• Air conditioning with a heat pump is the cheapest system .

• Gas is efficient, but only when you need to heat the whole house .

• Electric radiators are useful occasionally, but they are the most expensive .

• The smart option is to combine:
  gas at 20 °C + AC in the dining room + splits in the bedrooms .

This offers the best balance between comfort and real savings.

If you want us to do a personalized study of your home's consumption , at ImmoGirona we will prepare it for you with your real invoices. Write to us and we will be happy to help you!