Gas Appliances

Looking at switching to natural gas devices may be an option to reduce your bills while experiencing gains in comfort and efficiency.

Natural gas easy to extract in the US resulting in low, stable equivalent prices, and natural gas is relatively the least polluting non-renewable energy source, thus, it can be regarded as the greener alternative.

If you already have a gas line in your home, or are completing a new home you might think about the possible gains of switching to natural gas and gas home appliances. Find more information about gas appliances here from Ignite Miami Beach Appliance Repair:

What are Natural Gas Home Appliances?

A gas home appliance uses gas as the dominant power source. Natural gas goods present a workable substitute for electrical devices for heating your living space, providing hot water, heating your food and even cooling your home and tumble drying.

In the majority of cases natural gas home appliances still require an electricity supply but use gas as the major fuel. The amount of electricity needed will vary from appliance to appliance. E.g, a natural gas furnace can still be used even during a power cut, whereas a natural gas dryer still requires electrical components to make the drum turn.

Examples of Natural Gas Home Appliances

Natural gas is not just for cooking.

Heating

Providing heat with natural gas is usually less expensive than keeping warm with electricity. The reduction can be as high as 50% subject to your fuel tariffs and relative efficiency gains.

Gas heats the air more efficiently and offers better reliability.

A Fireplace

Apart from keeping your home warm natural gas is great for a fireplace. With a gas fire, you still get real flames and a focal point without the fuss.

Cooling

Gas air conditioning can be an adept means to cool your home, even if there is a power cut.

Gas air conditioning requires a bigger initial investment but is more cost effective to run and maintain meaning a better return on your investment. Better efficiency has the added upside of reducing your carbon footprint.

Water Heating

There are two styles of gas water heaters, on demand and tank. Natural gas heaters are quicker and more productive than their electric counterparts. Tankless water heaters also provide a continuous supply even with high demand. Handy if you have a big household that appreciates long showers.

The fact that gas lines are generally dug into the ground and guarded from the elements ensures you still have heating even when there’s a power outage.

Cooking Food

Everyone has come across the phrase “cooking with gas”. A great marketing strategy designed to link the use of gas to effectiveness and efficiency.

Clever marketing or not the saying has stuck around because it is valid. Most chefs choose gas for the fact that they can vary the size of the flame, and gas hobs are also a more cost effective way of converting energy into heat.

Dryers

Gas might not be the immediate place your mind goes when it comes to drying clothes, however, gas tumble dryers have many advantages. They dry clothes a few degrees hotter thus drying clothes in a shorter time.

Using Gas Outside

You have to restrict your natural gas use to indoor appliances. When it comes to outdoor entertaining, natural gas is a great power source for lighting and outdoor cooking and can even be used to heat your pool.

Impress friends before they even reach the front door with driveway lights, keep them warm even when the temperature drops and get the food cooking outside at the perfect temperature, when you like, and without the need to remember to fill up your propane bottles.

Just like indoor heaters a pool or spa heater will get up to temperature twice as rapidly as an electric heater. And natural gas fire pits set the mood as well as offering heat for luxurious indoor-outdoor living.

Benefits of Gas Home Appliances

With any decision you make it’s best look at the pros and the cons. Here are some of the pros of choosing Natural Gas.

Choosing gas will reduce your energy bills.
Gas home appliances tend to use less energy making them better for your wallet and for the environment.
Gas is an ecologically sound selection as it is considered the cleanest of the fossil fuels, with emissions of around 27% less C02 than oil and 45% less C02 than coal.
Gas lines are generally more reliable and less susceptible to damage or interruption This means you can still cool your home even if the power goes out.

Negatives of Natural gas Home Appliances

Natural gas home appliances tend to are subject to a higher initial cost. Both the value of the appliance and the associated installation costs are likely to be greater for a gas appliance when looking at next to electrical goods.
Having a natural gas line installed if you don’t already have one can be costly. The price will vary depending on how close the nearest supply is to your home.
Moving or extending a gas line can also cost a considerable amount.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be a killer if natural gas devices are not installed correctly or not maintained. Installing a carbon monoxide alarm is essential is you use natural gas in your home.

Should You Choose Gas?

Making the change between natural gas and electricity is not easy and the optimal choice for you probably won’t be the right decision for everyone.

If your main driver is cost gas is currently the least expensive fuel. However, while studies show that three-quarters of new home buyers are choosing to have natural gas, retrospectively installing natural gas comes at a cost. Therefore, getting a quote for installing a gas line if you don’t currently have gas appliances is a good place to start.

Another key advantage of gas is stability of supply. If power failures are common where you live then having appliances that continue to work during power cuts can count for a lot.

Finally, in environmental terms, while natural gas appliances are generally more efficient you can’t power them from renewable sources in the same way you can electrical appliances. Choosing solar panels or a heat pump may turn out to be less expensive and more sustainable options in the long run.