Gas Appliances

Considering natural gas devices may be an option to reduce your bills at the same time as seeing higher levels of comfort and efficiency.

There is a high supply of shale gas in the US resulting in low, stable costs, and gas is looked upon as the cleanest non-renewable energy source, consequently, it can be viewed as the environmentally responsible choice.

If you already have gas installed at home, or are building a new dwelling you might consider the potential advantages of choosing gas and gas appliances.

Find more information about gas appliances here from Finest Appliance Repair:

What is a Gas Home Appliance?

A natural gas home appliance runs on natural gas as the dominant power source. Gas home appliances offer a practicable alternative to electrical appliances for heating your home, providing hot water, heating food and even air conditioning and clothes drying.

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 boiler will still work even if the power goes out, whereas a natural gas dryer still relies upon electrical components to make the drum turn.

Examples of Gas Home Appliances

Gas can be used for more than heating.

Keeping You Warm

Keeping yourself warm with gas typically costs less than keeping warm with electricity. The difference can be as high as 50% depending on your energy costs and efficiency.

Gas heats the air more efficiently and offers better reliability.This is a big plus if you for winter power outages

Fireplaces

Apart from general heating natural gas is ideal for having a fire in your home.Forget the hassle of having to collect or buy logs or clean out the ashes. With a natural gas fireplace, you still get that open fire feeling and a warm home without the hassle.

Air Conditioning

Gas air conditioning can offer an effective method to cool your home.

Natural gas air conditioning could be a higher price to install but is more cost effective to run and maintain meaning cost savings in the long term. Higher efficiency has the added positive impact of lowering your carbon footprint.

Heating Water

There are two types of gas water heaters, on demand and tank. Natural gas heaters are quicker and more productive than their electric counterparts. Tankless heaters also offer a continuous supply.

The fact that natural gas lines are usually underground and guarded from the elements means you still have heating even if you don’t have electricity.

Cooking

We’ve all come across the phrase “cooking with gas”. A gas company marketing line conceived to link the use of gas with effectiveness and efficiency.

Clever marketing or not the phrase has stuck around because it is true. A great many chefs choose gas for the ability to vary the temperature, and gas ranges are also a less wasteful way of turning fuel into heat.

Clothes Dryers

Natural gas might not be the immediate thing you think of when it comes to laundry, however, natural gas tumble dryers can be an excellent choice. They operate at a higher temperature thus clothes dry in less time.

Outdoor Living

You have to restrict your natural gas use to indoor appliances. When it comes to outdoor entertaining, gas is a popular choice for lighting and food prep and even to heat your spa.

delight guests as soon as they arrive with path lighting, keep them toasty on cool evenings and get food cooked outside at the perfect temperature, when you like, and without the need to remember to fill up your gas bottles.

Just like indoor water heaters a pool or spa heater will get up to temperature twice as quickly as an electric heater. And gas outdoor heaters set the mood as well as providing warmth for perfect outside living.

Advantages of Gas Home Appliances

As in all things there are pros and cons to gas devices. First up the advantages.

Gas is generally less expensive than electricity thus lowering your annual energy costs.
Gas devices tend to be more efficient making them financially and environmentally viable.
Natural gas is an environmentally responsible selection as it is considered the least environmentally damaging of the fossil fuels, emitting around 27% less carbon dioxide than oil and 45% less carbon dioxide than coal.
Gas supplies are generally more reliable and less susceptible to damage or interruption This means you can still heat your home even if the power goes out.

Negatives of Gas Home Appliances

Gas home appliances generally require a higher initial cost. Both the ticket price of the appliance and the cost to install are likely to be greater for a natural gas appliance when looking at next to electrical alternatives.
Having a gas line installed if you don’t already have one can be costly. The price will vary depending on a number of factors.
Moving or extending a gas line can also require a big outlay.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be a killer if natural gas devices are not properly installed or regularly maintained. making sure you have a carbon monoxide alarm is a must is you use gas in your home.

Should You Choose Gas?

Making the decision between gas and electricity is not straightforward and the best choice for you may not be the right choice for everyone.

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

Another reason to choose natural gas is that you are less likely to get interruptions in supply. If power failures happen often where you live then having appliances that continue to work during outages can be a big plus.

Lastly, in environmental terms, while gas devices are generally more efficient you can’t power them from renewable sources in the same way you can electrical goods. Installing solar panels or a heat pump could be more cost-effective and more sustainable options in the long run.