Looking at switching to gas appliances may be a good option to lower expenditures at the same time as seeing gains in performance and productivity.
There is a high supply of natural gas in the US meaning that equivalent prices are low and stable, and gas is looked upon as the least polluting fossil fuel, consequently, it can be viewed as the least environmentally damaging option.
If you already have a gas line at home, or are buying a new dwelling you may wish to consider the possible gains of choosing gas and natural gas household appliances. Learn more about gas appliances here from Pride Vacaville Appliance Repair:
What is a Gas Appliance?
A natural gas home appliance runs on natural gas as the primary fuel source. Natural gas appliances offer a practicable alternative for electrically powered appliances for heating your living space, providing hot water, cooking your food and even cooling your home and drying your clothes.
Generally you will still need to supply electricity to a gas appliance. The amount of electricity needed will vary from appliance to appliance. For example, a gas cooker can still be used even if the electricity cuts out, whereas a gas tumble dryer still needs electrical components.
Different Gas Appliances
Natural gas has many purposes in your home.
Keeping You Warm
Keeping yourself warm with natural gas is usually less expensive than heating your home with electricity. The reduction can be as much as 50% subject to your energy costs and efficiency.
Natural gas heats the air faster and offers better reliability.This is very handy if you experience regular power outages in the winter
Fireplaces
Apart from keeping your home warm gas is ideal for a fireplace. With a natural gas fireplace, you still get that open fire feeling and a warm home without the fuss.
Cooling Your Home
Gas can offer an effective means to keep cool.
Natural gas fueled air conditioning requires a higher initial investment but is better value to run and maintain meaning cost savings in the long term. Superior performance has the added upside of cutting your carbon footprint.
Water Heating
Natural gas water heaters come in two main designs, tank heaters and non-tank or on-demand heaters. Natural gas heaters are quicker and more fuel efficient than electric water boilers. On-demand heaters also give a continuous supply even with high demand.
The fact that gas lines are almost always underground and protected from the weather means you can still have hot water even if there’s a power outage.
Cooking
Most people have come across the saying “cooking with gas”. A great marketing line designed to link the use of natural gas with effectiveness and efficiency.
Regardless of the origin the saying is used today because it is accurate. A great many chefs choose natural gas for the ability to control the size of the flame, and natural gas ranges also offer a more cost effective way of converting fuel into heat.
Tumble Dryers
Natural gas might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to laundry, however, natural gas dryers are a great choice. They operate at a higher temperature thus clothes dry in a shorter time.
Using Gas Outside
Did you know you don’t just have to use gas inside your home? Outside, gas is often used for lighting and food prep and even to heat your spa.
Impress your guests before they even reach the front door with driveway lights, keep them toasty even when the temperature falls and get food cooked outside at the perfect temperature, whenever you are ready, and without the need to remember to fill up your propane bottles.
Just like domestic heaters a pool or spa heater will get up to temperature twice as fast as an electric heater. And natural gas patio heaters offer ambiance as well as providing heat for the best indoor-outdoor living.
Advantages of Gas Appliances
As with anything there are pros and cons to gas home appliances. First up the pros of choosing Natural Gas.
- Gas is generally less expensive than electricity thus lowering your annual utility costs.
- Gas home appliances tend to be more efficient making them financially and environmentally viable.
- Natural gas is an eco-friendly choice as it is viewed as the least environmentally damaging of the fossil fuels, with emissions of around 27% less C02 than oil and 45% less C02 than coal.
- Gas supplies are generally more reliable and less susceptible to damage or interruption This means you can still cook even if there’s no electricity supply.At worst you might need to find a match.
Negatives of Natural gas Home Appliances
- Natural gas appliances usually require a higher initial outlay. Both the cost of the appliance and the cost to install are likely to be more.
- Having a gas line installed if you don’t already have one can be costly. The cost will vary depending on how close the nearest supply is to your home.
- Having a gas line moved or extended can also cost a considerable amount so this should always be added to any price analysis.
- Safety comes first and carbon monoxide can be an issue if gas appliances are not installed correctly or not maintained. Having a carbon monoxide alarm is non-negotiable is you use natural gas in your home.
Is a Gas Appliance Right for You?
Making the decision between gas and electricity is not always simple and the right choice for you probably won’t be the right choice for everyone.
Currently natural gas is almost always less expensive than electricity, so if the price is your main driver this can be a big part of the decision-making process. However, while studies show that three-quarters of new home buyers are choosing to have gas, converting to gas is expensive. With this in mind, finding out how much a new gas line would cost if you don’t already have one is a good first step.
Another reason to choose natural gas is stability of supply. If power failures are common where you live then being able to heat water, heat or cool your home and cook during outages can be a huge benefit.
Lastly, the sustainability credentials of natural gas could be considered as relatively short term, as you can’t power them from renewable sources like you can electrical home appliances. Opting for solar panels or a heat pump could be a better investment and more eco-friendly options in the long run.