Gas Appliances

Considering switching to gas home appliances could be a good option to reduce your bills while seeing gains in comfort, convenience and efficiency.

Natural gas easy to extract in the United States resulting in low, stable equivalent prices, and shale gas is viewed as the least polluting fossil fuel, consequently, it can be viewed as the least environmentally damaging choice.

If you already have natural gas installed at home, or are completing a new home you should look at the potential advantages of choosing natural gas and natural gas home appliances.

Read more about gas appliances here from F&S Appliance Repair:

What are Natural Gas Appliances?

A natural gas appliance uses gas as the primary power source. Natural gas devices afford a workable alternative to electrically powered devices.

In general you will still need to supply electricity to a gas appliance. The amount of electricity needed will vary from appliance to appliance. E.g, a gas boiler will provide hot water even if the power goes out, whereas a gas dryer still requires electricity.

Examples of Natural Gas Home Appliances

Natural gas could have a great many purposes in your house.

Heating

Providing heat with natural gas generally costs less than heating your home using electrical appliances. Your costs could be cut in half subject to your fuel tariffs and relative efficiency gains.

Gas heats the air in less time and is more reliable.

A Fireplace

As well as keeping your home warm natural gas is perfect for a fireplace.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 a focal point without the hassle.

Air Conditioning

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

Gas fueled air conditioning can be a higher price to begin with but is more cost effective on an ongoing basis meaning a better return on your investment. Higher effectiveness has the added upside of reducing your carbon footprint.

Water Heaters

Natural gas water heaters come in two main designs, tank heaters and non-tank or on-demand heaters. Natural gas heaters are more rapid and more efficient than their electric alternatives. Tankless heaters also offer a continuous supply even with high demand. Which is useful if you have a big family that appreciates long showers.

The fact that gas lines are almost always underground and guarded from the weather means you will still have the ability to shower even if you don’t have electricity.

Cooking Food

We’ve all heard the saying “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 stuck because it is valid. Most chefs choose gas for the ease with which you can vary the temperature, and natural gas hobs are also a more cost effective way of turning energy into heat.

Tumble Dryers

You might not instantly think of using gas to dry your clothes, however, gas clothes dryers can be an excellent choice. They work a few degrees hotter thus drying clothes in less time and clothes have to endure less tumbling.

Using Natural Gas Outside

Did you know you don’t just have to use gas inside your home? Outside the home, natural gas is a popular choice for patio lights and cooking and can even be used to heat your spa.

delight friends as soon as they arrive with path lights, keep them cosy even when the temperature drops and get the food cooking outside at the perfect temperature, whenever you are ready, and without the worry of remembering to fill up your gas bottles.

Just like indoor heaters a pool or spa heater will get up to temperature twice as rapidly as an electric equivalent. And gas patio heaters set the mood as well as offering comfort for perfect indoor-outdoor living.

Benefits of Gas Home Appliances

As in all things there are pros and cons to gas devices. Here are some of the pros of choosing Natural Gas.

Choosing natural gas will save you money on your utility bills.
Natural gas devices tend to be more efficient making them financially and environmentally viable.
Natural gas is an eco-friendly choice as it is the least polluting of the fossil fuels, with emissions of around 27% less C02 than oil and 45% less C02 than coal.
Natural gas lines are generally more reliable and less susceptible to damage or interruption This means you can still cook even if the power goes out.

Cons of Gas Home Appliances

Gas devices usually require a higher initial outlay. Both the price of the appliance and the installation cost are likely to be higher.
Having a gas line installed if you don’t already have one can be costly. The cost will vary depending on a number of factors.
Moving or extending a gas line can also require a big outlay so this should be included in any cost benefit analysis.
Safety first! Carbon monoxide can be an issue if natural gas home appliances are not properly installed or regularly maintained. Installing a carbon monoxide alarm is essential is you use gas in your home.

Is a Natural Gas Appliance Right for You?

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

Currently gas is almost always cheaper than electricity, so if the price is your main motivation this can be a big part of the decision-making process. However, while studies show that three-quarters of new home buyers are choosing to have gas, switching to natural gas is expensive. Therefore, getting a quote for installing a gas line if you don’t already have one is a good place to start.

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

Lastly, the environmental credentials of natural gas may be relatively short term, as you can’t power them from renewable sources like you can electrical appliances. Choosing renewable energy could be a better investment and more sustainable options in the long run.