Gas Appliances

Considering gas home appliances might be a good option to reduce your bills at the same time as experiencing increases in comfort, convenience and efficiency.

There is a abundant supply of natural gas in the United States resulting in low, stable equivalent prices, and natural gas is looked upon as the cleanest fossil fuel, consequently, it can be seen as the greener choice.

If you already have gas installed in your house, or are buying a new home you may wish to consider the potential gains of switching to natural gas and natural gas household appliances.

Learn more about gas appliances here from Tate Appliance Repair:

What is a Natural Gas Home Appliance?

A natural gas appliance employs gas as the primary fuel source. Natural gas appliances present a practicable alternative for electrically powered appliances.

In general you will still need to plug in a gas appliance. The quantity electric used depends on the type of appliance. For example, a gas boiler will work even if the electricity cuts out, whereas a natural gas clothes dryer still needs electrical components to make the drum turn.

Different Gas Appliances

Gas can have a great many uses in your house.

Keeping You Warm

Heating your home with gas typically costs less than keeping warm with electricity. Your expenditure could be cut in half depending on your fuel costs and efficiency.

Natural gas heats the air faster and offers better reliability.This is a huge benefit if you if you get power cuts

Fireplaces

Aside from heating natural gas is great 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 fire, you still get real flames and plenty of warmth without the hassle.

Cooling Your Home

Gas can offer an adept method to keep your home cool, even if there is a power outage.

Gas fueled air conditioning requires a bigger initial investment but is better value on an ongoing basis meaning a better return on your investment. Superior performance also has a positive impact on your carbon footprint.

Water Heaters

Natural gas water boilers come in two forms, tank heaters and non-tank or on-demand heaters. Gas heaters are quicker and more productive than their electric counterparts. Tankless water heaters also provide a continuous supply.

The fact that gas lines are usually hidden and protected from the weather ensures you will still have heating even if there’s a power outage.

Cooking Food

We’ve all encountered the saying “cooking with gas”. A great commercial strategy created to link natural gas to effectiveness and efficiency.

Clever marketing or not the saying is still around because it is accurate. Most chefs and home cooks choose natural gas for the fact that they can control the heat, and gas stoves are also a less wasteful way of turning energy into heat.

Tumble Dryers

You might not instantly think of using gas to dry your clothes, however, gas dryers have many advantages. They dry clothes a few degrees hotter thus drying clothes in less time.

Outdoor Entertaining

You have to restrict your natural gas use to indoor appliances. Outside the home, natural gas is a popular choice for patio lights and food prep and even to heat your pool.

Wow friends as soon as they arrive with outdoor lights, keep them toasty on cool evenings and get dinner ready outside, whenever you are ready, and without the having to go to fill up your propane bottles.

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

Pros of Natural Gas Home Appliances

With any decision you make it makes sense to investigate the pros and the cons. Here are some of the advantages of choosing Natural Gas.

Gas is generally cheaper than electricity saving you money on your annual utility costs.
Natural gas appliances tend to use less energy making them financially and environmentally viable.
Natural gas is an environmentally responsible option as it is considered the cleanest of the fossil fuels, with emissions of 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 water even if there’s no electricity supply.At worst you might need to find a match.

Cons of Gas Home Appliances

Gas devices usually are subject to a higher initial cost. Both the price of the appliance and the associated installation costs are likely to be higher for a natural gas appliance when comparing to electrical goods.
Having a gas line installed if you don’t already have one can be expensive. The price will vary depending on how close the nearest supply is to your home.
Having a gas line moved or extended can also require a big outlay.
Safety comes first and carbon monoxide can be an issue if gas home appliances are not properly installed or not maintained. making sure you have a carbon monoxide alarm is essential is you use natural gas in your home.

Should You Choose Gas?

Making the choice between natural gas and electricity is not easy and the best choice for you might not 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, converting to gas comes at a cost. With this in mind, finding out how much a new gas line would cost if you don’t currently have gas appliances is a good first step.

Another benefit of gas is that you are less likely to get interruptions in supply. If power cuts happen often in your area then having appliances that continue to work during power failures can be a huge benefit.

Lastly, the environmental credentials of gas could be considered as relatively short term, as you can’t power them from renewable sources in the same way you can electrical appliances. Opting for solar panels or a heat pump may turn out to be more cost-effective and more eco-friendly options in the long run.