Heating Your Home – Gas or Electricity?

The majority of homes in the U.S. are heated by gas furnaces. This energy source is a cost-effective and efficient source for home heating. On the other hand, electric furnaces are less expensive, probably safer and easier to maintain. When researching whether to buy an electric or gas furnace, there are a number of features to take into consideration such as: efficiency, cost, safety, maintenance and pollution control.

 

Efficiency:

 

A strong advantage to having a gas furnace is that gas is a real workhorse. It is efficient with very little waste. Gas is a remarkably clean fuel with less polluted emissions than other fuels. Carbon emissions are lowered by 50 percent from the gas that is used by furnaces and other appliances in homes.  Nearly all of the natural gas that is brought to run you appliances is directly used.

 

In contrast, the American Gas Association states that about 70 percent of energy used for electricity to go through the process that brings it to your home is lost along the way. Natural gas loses only 10 percent of its potential energy.

 

Gas furnaces are able to distribute heat quite evenly throughout the house. There are not cold and hot spots. These furnaces, if they are the correct size for the house do very well at maintaining a warm temperature, even during the coldest weather.

 

Safety:

 

Electric furnaces are basically safer than gas because of automatic breakers that protect them from overloading. These furnaces don’t have any kind of flame like the pilot lights of gas furnaces that may have to be lit again. A low level of carbon monoxide is emitted from gas furnaces, so attention by the owner is needed to make sure it is functioning properly.

 

Cost:

 

Of course, there are many different models of both gas and electric furnaces and varying costs, but electric furnaces are generally cheaper to buy partly because they have few moving parts. So the maintenance costs are usually lower. As a general rule, if you own an electric furnace, your monthly bill is higher than with gas. The cost of the actual gas furnace may be higher than an electric one, but because of its efficiency, the monthly bill is usually less. The cost of natural gas has been decreasing

 

Other factors to consider:

 

Electric furnaces are usually quieter than gas. Furnaces powered by electricity usually last longer than gas furnaces. You can expect your electric furnace to last anywhere from 20 – 30 years. Installation of electric furnaces doesn’t take as long as for gas. Maintaining your electric furnace is a fairly simple task for a homeowner.

 

It is known that more people choose gas furnaces over electric ones. Nonetheless, there are many factors involved in choosing the energy source of gas or electricity to heat a home. Regarding the cost, some calculations can tell you which would be cost-effective. You need to consider the initial cost of the appliance, the monthly bill, how long the furnace is expected to last and much maintenance will be required. Then there are the other considerations like safety, quiet operation, even distribution of heat and environmental factors. 

Sam Jones regularly writes and reports on the energy market. He advises readers to use uSwitch.com to find the cheapest electricity prices to ensure they are getting the best money saving offers available