Which is Better Gas or Electric Furnaces?
Gas vs electric furnaces: which is the best option for you? There are benefits and drawbacks to each. This blog will explore how forced air furnaces work, which furnace is the most efficient, how gas and electric measure up on price and finally steps you can take to do your own research.
How do forced air furnaces work?
Forced air furnaces are so called because they force air through the ducts in the walls and floors of a home. This means the furnace can be centrally located, often in the basement. This is different from baseboard heaters which need to be placed throughout the home to heat a house or condo uniformly.
Forced air furnaces are connected to a thermostat which detects the temperature in the home. When the temperature drops below the set point it sends a signal to the furnace to activate. The furnace then activates its heat source. In a gas furnace the heat source is literal burners, like in a stove or barbecue, in an electric furnace the heat source is heating coils, like in a toaster or blow dryer.
The furnace has a fan which draws in cold air from the home, sends it through a heat exchanger and then blows it back into the home as warm air. Newer high efficiency gas furnaces can heat a home at over 90% efficiency while newer electric furnaces can operate at close to 100% efficiency according to Manitoba Hydro.
For a visual of how forced air furnaces work please see our accompanying diagram.
What is the cheapest forced air furnace?
There are a lot of factors to take into account when choosing a furnace. There is the cost of natural gas vs. electricity but also the cost of the furnace and the efficiency over time. For example, according to Manitoba Hydro “an electric space heating system may cost less up front, but a natural gas heating system will pay for itself and save an average of $12,000 over its 25-year life.”
The furnace you choose will depend on a range of factors like the size and age of your home, the availability of natural gas in your area, energy costs over the life of the furnace, and the initial cost vs. payback.
In Manitoba residents can visit https://www.hydro.mb.ca/guides/home-heating/ and use their interactive heating costs calculator to help determine the cost of a given heating system.
Conclusion
Gas vs. electric furnaces: which is the best option for you? Well it depends on a range of factors that cannot all be explained in a blog. We recommend contacting a HVAC professional in your area to discuss which option is right for you. At Next-Gen Plumbing and Heating Ltd. our experts are standing by to take your call. We believe that communication and transparency are what the next-generation of plumbing and heating are all about. So please give us a call today at 204-292-7144 or visit https://www.next-genplumbing.ca/ to discuss your home heating needs. Thanks Manitoba and have a great day!
References
https://www.directenergy.ca/en/learn/home-improvement/gas-vs-electric-furnaces
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/heating-cooling/reviews/what-is-forced-air-heating