Electric vs Gas Furnace: What Sets Them Apart?

Do you have an old furnace that doesn’t do the job anymore? If your house gets cold in the winter, it’s probably time to replace your furnace.

There’s no better time than now to invest in a new heating system. With the price of heating oil trending up, a new, high-efficiency furnace could save you a lot of money.

Homeowners who are looking for a new heating solution are likely to have two popular choices available: electric and gas. Which one is better? To put it simply, both options have advantages and disadvantages.

In this article, we’ll compare electric vs gas furnace pros and cons so you can choose the right one for you.

Electric vs Gas Furnace: Pros and Cons

To begin with, let’s look at what they have in common. Both gas and electric furnaces are heating systems that operate with forced air. This means that they both heat the air directly and then use blowers to force warm air through the ductwork so it can circulate throughout the house.

How they heat the air, as you might have surmised, is different. Gas furnaces use combustion while electric furnaces use electric heating elements. Now let’s compare gas and electric furnaces from different facets, such as costs, safety, and durability.

Costs

Gas furnaces, in general, have higher purchase and installation costs than electric furnaces. However, this is offset by the higher operational costs of electric furnaces. Natural gas is substantially cheaper than electricity if gas lines are available in your area.

Energy Efficiency and Heat Speed

Energy efficiency is about how much energy the furnace can turn into heat. With electric furnaces, almost all of the energy is converted into heat. Electric heating has an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) of almost 100 percent.

Gas furnace AFUE values vary, ranging from 55 to 97 percent. Higher efficiency models can reduce heat loss from flue gases but they’re a bit more expensive.

Zero Energy

While electric furnaces are more efficient, that doesn’t mean that they can heat your home faster. Gas furnaces have an advantage in speed because they can get hot in an instant. Electric coils take time to build up heat and consume more energy in areas with colder winters.

Safety

Electric furnaces are usually the safer option. Gas furnaces can produce small amounts of carbon monoxide. Gas heating also has combustible elements that could result in accidental fires.

This is partly the reason for the higher installation costs of gas furnaces. All components have to be perfectly sealed to prevent gas leakage. Carbon monoxide detectors also have to be installed.

Lifespan and Maintenance

Both gas and electric systems have incredible lifespans, reaching up to twenty years. Electric furnaces last almost twice as long as gas heaters, about twenty to thirty years. They also require little to no maintenance because of their safety and simpler design.

With gas furnaces, you’re frequently wondering, “hows my furnace?” Because of the higher risks, it needs regular maintenance from a professional to keep it safe and efficient.

Which One Is Right for You?

Looking at electric vs gas furnace pros and cons, you’ll see which one suits you best. They differ in terms of costs, efficiency, safety, and maintenance. Availability is also a factor since some areas may not have gas lines in place.

For more home improvement tips, check out our other articles on this site.

The post Electric vs Gas Furnace: What Sets Them Apart? appeared first on ELMENS.



source https://www.elmens.com/home-improvement/electric-vs-gas-furnace-what-sets-them-apart/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What are the Myths and Risk Factors Surrounding Diastasis Recti?

Image
The abdominal separation caused by diastasis recti (DR) is no joke. It takes time for the abdominal walls and muscles to heal. Without the proper and recommended type of rehabilitation, it can lead to severe and long-term complications. The question of how to fix diastasis recti applies not only to women but to children and men as well. Yes—women are not the only ones at risk for DR. At the same time, petite individuals, women with multiple pregnancies, those aged 35 and above, as well as those with a history of DR in their family are more likely to develop the said condition later on. Not all people are aptly knowledgeable about this condition. Some are left to believe false information, thus increasing their susceptibility to complications related to diastasis recti. Here’s a quick run-down on the myths surrounding diastasis recti, along with the corresponding fact to explain it: Myth: It cannot be prevented. Fact: It can! There are specific activities that can be avoided to ...
Read more

Reasons to Use the Right Type of Pillows

Image
Reasons to Use the Right Type of Pillows Better sleep is important for health. A comfortable bed and a nice cushion help in getting adequate sleep. Getting enough sleep keeps you fresh, stress-free and healthy. A pillow provides support to your shoulder, neck, and head. Your body needs to lie in proper posture while sleeping and that is why you need the right type of pillow. Choosing the right pillow is tricky. You need to choose the one that adjusts to your body shape and provides support and comfort at the same time. Here are the few reasons to use the right type of pillows To Prevent Muscle Pain Your pillow gives support to your shoulders and neck, maintaining your proper body position. A wrong selection of pillows can generate muscular pain as it disturbs your body position while lying and exerts more pressure on your muscles. Improper sleep will make your body exhausted and muscles painful. To Endorse Comfortable Sleep Proper sleep of 8 hours is recommended for adults. When...
Read more

Why Social Media Managers Need To Know About SEO

Image
Social media management is undeniably a tough job. Especially with the increase in the use of social media platforms, one can safely say that a social media manager has several tasks to do. From creating content to scheduling it and then promoting it, there’s a lot of work and it all requires some great communication and engagement that has to be maintained side by side. In a nutshell, there’s no doubt that social media managers know a lot about their skills and expertise, and they know very well how to use it for maximizing exposure of a business or brand. A brand may initially withstand without the use of SEO, but as soon as aims to reach out to the massive and get worldwide exposure, they need to own a website and acquire organic traffic. There, they are in the dire need of learning SEO to advance their skills and build a digital footprint in the major search engine. They are required to learn local as well as global SEO. For example, a business that may need to ensure its web pre...
Read more