Thinking about natural gas appliances may be an option to reduce your bills at the same time as seeing gains in comfort and efficiency.
There is a plentiful supply of natural gas in the US meaning that prices are low and stable, and natural gas is looked upon as the cleanest non-renewable energy source, thus, it can be seen as the most eco-friendly option.
If you already have a natural gas line in your home, or are building a new home you may wish to consider the possible gains of choosing gas and natural gas home appliances. Learn more about gas appliances below from Next Noblesville Appliance Repair:
What are Gas Home Appliances?
A natural gas home appliance uses natural gas as the dominant fuel source. Natural gas devices afford a great substitute for electrical devices for heating your house, providing hot water, cooking your food and even cooling your home and clothes drying.
In many instances natural gas appliances nevertheless require an electrical outlet but use gas as the main fuel. The amount of electricity needed will vary from appliance to appliance. E.g, a gas cooker will still work even if the power goes out, whereas a natural gas dryer still relies upon electrical components.
A List of Appliances That Operate Using Gas
Gas is about more than heating.
Keeping You Warm
Keeping yourself warm with natural gas typically costs less than keeping warm with electricity. The difference can be as much as 50% subject to your energy tariffs and relative efficiency gains.
Gas makes the air hotter in a shorter time and offers better reliability.This is due to gas lines being less exposed to the elements than power lines.
An Indoor Fire
Apart from keeping your home warm natural gas is ideal for a fireplace. With a natural gas fire, you still get that open fire feeling and a warm home without the hassle.
Air Conditioning
Natural gas air conditioning can be an effective method to cool your home.
Natural gas fueled air conditioning could be a higher price to begin with but is better value on an ongoing basis meaning lower prices in the long term. Superior effectiveness also has a positive impact on your carbon footprint.
Hot Water
There are two types of natural gas water heaters, on demand and tank. Gas heaters are faster and more fuel efficient than their electric alternatives. Tankless heaters also give a continuous supply even with high demand.
The fact that gas lines are almost always dug into the ground and sheltered from the elements ensures you can still have heating even when you don’t have electricity.
Cooking Food
Everyone has come across the phrase “cooking with gas”. A gas company marketing line created to link gas to effectiveness and efficiency.
Clever marketing or not the saying is still around because it is true. The majority of chefs choose gas for the ease with which you can vary the temperature, and natural gas ranges also offer a much more efficient way of converting energy into heat.
Clothes Dryers
Gas might not be the immediate place your mind goes when it comes to laundry, however, natural gas dryers have many advantages. They operate a few degrees hotter thus clothes dry in a shorter time and clothes have to endure less tumbling.
Outdoor Living
You have to restrict your gas use to indoor appliances. Outside, gas is often used for patio lights and outdoor cooking and even to heat your spa.
delight guests as soon as they arrive with driveway lighting, keep them toasty even when the temperature falls and get food cooked outside at the perfect temperature, whenever you are ready, and without the having to go to fill up your propane bottles.
Just like domestic heaters a pool or spa heater will heat the water twice as quickly as an electric equivalent. And natural gas fire pits give atmosphere as well as offering comfort for perfect outside living.
Benefits of Natural Gas Appliances
As with anything there are pros and cons to gas home appliances. Here are some of the benefits.
- Gas is generally cheaper than electricity thus lowering your annual energy costs.
- Natural gas home appliances tend to be more efficient making them financially and environmentally viable.
- Gas is an ecologically sound option as it is viewed as the least polluting of the fossil fuels, with emissions of around 27% less C02 than oil and 45% less carbon dioxide than coal.
- Natural gas lines are generally run underground making supply more reliable. This means you can continue to cool your home even if you get a power outage.At worst you might need to find a match.
Negatives of Gas Home Appliances
- Natural gas devices tend to require a higher initial cost. Both the price of the appliance and the installation cost are likely to be more for a gas appliance when comparing to electrical goods.
- Installing a new gas line if you don’t already have one can be expensive. The price will vary depending on a number of factors, so it is worth talking to your provider before deciding.
- Moving or extending a gas line can also be expensive.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning can be a killer if natural gas appliances are not properly installed or regularly maintained. Installing a carbon monoxide alarm is non-negotiable is you use gas in your home.
Is a Natural Gas Appliance The Right Choice for You?
Making the choice between gas and electricity is not straightforward and the right choice for you might not be the optimal decision for everyone.
Currently natural gas is almost always cheaper than electricity, so if the cost is your main driver this can be a major factor in the decision-making process. However, while studies show that three-quarters of new home buyers are choosing to have natural gas, retrospectively installing gas comes at a cost. Therefore, finding out how much a new gas line would cost if you don’t already have one is a good first step.
Another key advantage of natural gas is that you are less likely to get interruptions in supply. If power cuts are common in your area then having appliances that continue to work during outages can be a huge benefit.
Lastly, the eco-friendly credentials of gas could be considered as relatively short term, as you can’t power them from renewable sources like you can electrical goods. Choosing renewable energy may turn out to be a better investment and more environmentally responsible options in the long run.