A U.K. heat pump owner learned an expensive lesson that can easily catch people off guard. They found that electrifying your heating does not automatically make your gas bill disappear.

If even one gas appliance remains in the home, such as a stovetop, you may still be stuck paying a standing charge year after year.

Here's what to know

According to a thread on Reddit, the homeowner kept their gas supply after installing an air-source heat pump because they still cooked with a gas stovetop. The bigger burden was not the small amount of fuel they used, but the more than £100 ($135) they were paying each year just to keep the service active.

The poster said a £100 referral payment, together with Fuse Energy's 18-month tariff and its lower standing charge, was enough to wipe out that expense for a while. They wrote that their "gas usage is effectively free and covered for the next 2ish years."

If you are weighing your HVAC options, Palmetto's Comfort Plan network can help you find efficient heating and cooling solutions for your home and connect you with vetted installers. For many households, upgrading your heating and cooling system is one of the best ways to save money on utility bills and protect against rising energy prices.

More background

Once a home switches its primary heating to electricity, a leftover gas appliance can change the math on energy costs. Even if a gas cooktop uses barely any fuel, the ongoing service fees can end up costing more than the gas itself.

One commenter wrote, "I'd just change the gas hob for an induction one, then you never have to pay gas at all!" 

The discussion then turned to whether induction can really compare to gas for everyday cooking. Several commenters said it can. 

One user wrote, "Heat control is as good as gas in my experience." 

What can be done?

Getting the full financial benefit of a heat pump may mean looking beyond the heating system alone. If another gas appliance is still in use, the gas account may stay open. Sometimes a cheaper tariff can soften that added cost. In other cases, the only way to remove the standing charge completely is to replace the final gas appliance.

If you're ready for a heat pump upgrade, but not ready to pay the upfront cost, Palmetto can help with that too. Its Comfort Plan has $0-down options that can lower your heating and cooling costs by up to 50%, and some include 12 years of free maintenance.

You can also pair solar panels with electric appliances, like efficient HVACs, to drive your utility costs even lower. EnergySage makes it easy to find the best solar panel system and installer for your home and budget, saving you up to $10,000.

Where can I learn more?

The cost of cutting gas often comes down to more than the one appliance left behind. It also shows up in how people compare heat pumps, the home upgrades governments are willing to support, and the charges utilities build into monthly bills.

• EnergySage gives homeowners their own expert energy adviser when comparing heat pumps and installers.

• In the U.K., millions of households could get free home upgrades to cut energy bills.

• A watchdog said utility companies used customer money to keep electricity bills high through industry schemes.

More and more households are turning to electrification to reduce their energy bills and keep toxic gases out. 

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