If it’s almost time for a new furnace, it’s best to be well-informed before making a final decision about which type of heater will go in your home. Too often, people are willing to let contractors make that choice for them, and give little input themselves into what type of system they would prefer and what they would like to pay in the long term.
We think it’s important to go over all of your options before installing that new heating system. This includes deciding whether you would like a furnace powered by natural gas or electricity. We compare the two fuel sources in today’s guide.
Electric Furnace Benefits
An electric furnace uses electrical resistance via a set of coiled heating elements to produce heat. A fan sucks in air from around the home, runs it over the coils, and moves the warmed air to your vents. There are some benefits to this:
- Low cost of installation
- Long system lifespan
- Ease of installation—not every home has access to a natural gas line!
Electric Furnace Downsides
However, there are some downsides to the electric furnace. The main one is the cost of upkeep. Running an electric furnace can be expensive, especially as it starts to age. Proper maintenance and frequent filter changes should help, but eventually you might have to replace the heating elements to keep the system operational. The cost of installation may be low, but the cost of upkeep along with this exceeds the cost of ownership of some other heating systems.
Gas Furnaces Benefits
A gas furnace uses natural gas from the utility company to ignite a set of burners that produces heat. Heat transfers to a heat exchanger, which transfers this heat to the air as a fan blows past. The major benefit to this is high efficiency and low cost.
Today’s gas furnaces are more efficient than they have ever been—and safer too! Manufactured with multiple safety switches and resilient heat exchangers, modern gas furnace risks are rare. The cost of using natural gas to heat a home is usually lower than the cost of using electricity (although some electricity is still needed to operate the system).
Why Wouldn’t You Go with Natural Gas?
With all these benefits to natural gas, why would any of your neighbors choose to install an electric furnace? One answer is quite simple: not all homeowners have access to natural gas!
However, there are other reasons. That initial cost of installation for an electric furnace is certainly important to a new homeowner, especially one who knows how to use the thermostat efficiently. And while gas furnaces are safe, there is always the hazard, however low, of fire or carbon monoxide that some homeowners just don’t want to risk.
A gas furnace is an excellent heating system, but it’s not the only choice for every home, or even the best choice. Besides, there are other highly efficient options available, including heat pumps that use electricity to efficiently move heat (rather than generating heat).
Get your new furnace in Bosque Farms, NM from the expert installers at Axiom Home Services, Inc.