If you’re in the market for a new furnace, then you have a few different options to consider. Furnaces can run on electricity, natural gas, propane, or even heating oil. Today, we’re going to discuss how electric and gas furnaces differ as well as which one will likely be the most cost-effective for your home.
How Does an Electric Furnace Work?
Electric furnaces rely on a heating element powered by electricity to create heat for your home. Your furnace will use its ductwork to circulate cold air into your furnace. As the air passes over your furnace’s heating element, heat will be absorbed by the air. The warm air will be pushed through your supply ductwork and delivered to each room of your home. This type of furnace tends to remain very clean and operates quietly when compared to other furnace types.
How Does a Gas Furnace Work?
A gas furnace relies on a steady supply of fuel, either natural gas or propane. As fuel is fed into the system, an internal burner will burn the fuel to create heat. Much like with an electric furnace, a blower fan circulates cold air into your furnace. The air goes through what’s called a heat exchanger, where the heat created by the combustion process warms the air.
Because gas furnaces rely on burning fuel to create heat, they will produce toxic by-products. This is why it’s important to have your gas furnace vented through a chimney so that those toxic fumes can escape to the air outside. Unfortunately, your furnace may malfunction and cause a backup of harmful toxins in your home. For this reason, you must have both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, so you’ll be alerted to an issue.
A Note on Energy Efficiency
One of the bigger factors to consider when determining which type of furnace is more cost-effective is each unit’s energy efficiency. Because gas furnaces use the combustion process, they’re always going to lose some energy while creating heat. A standard gas furnace will have an efficiency in the 80% range. There are high-efficiency gas furnaces available that can operate in the 90% efficiency range. On the other hand, electric furnaces operate at a 100% efficiency rating. It’s very clear that even with the best gas furnace on the market today, an electric furnace is going to be more energy efficient.
Electricity and Fuel Costs
While you may be thinking that an electric furnace is the clear winner due to its higher efficiency, that’s not technically the case. You also need to consider the amount of input each unit takes and the cost of that input to produce heat. Pretty much everywhere throughout the country, electricity is going to cost more than natural gas or propane. Typically, natural gas is going to be cheaper per unit than propane. When it comes to the overall operating cost of your furnace, a gas furnace is going to be much cheaper than operating an electric furnace.
Lifespan
You can’t make a fair comparison between these two furnace options without considering their overall lifespans. A furnace that lasts longer is generally going to allow you to get more for your money than a furnace that doesn’t. Most gas furnaces will have a lifespan of around 15 to 20 years. On the other hand, electric furnaces can last anywhere between 20 and 30 years.
Upfront Cost and Installation
When it comes to the upfront purchase of a gas furnace versus an electric furnace, a gas furnace will typically cost one and a half to two times more than its electric counterpart. When it comes to the installation of your new furnace, you’re going to pay more for gas than electricity. An electric furnace only requires your HVAC technician to install wiring. When it comes to a gas furnace, your technician must install piping for your fuel as well as adequate ventilation to get rid of the exhaust byproducts from the combustion process.
Faster Heating
When compared side by side in their ability to adequately heat your home, a gas furnace has one main advantage. A gas furnace can heat your indoor air faster as its burner can get up to temperature quicker than an electric furnace’s heating element. This can be very helpful when it comes to getting your home back up to temperature quickly, like when you’re returning home for the day after having the temperature set lower while no one was home.
Fuel Availability and Storage
It’s important to note that natural gas is not available everywhere throughout the country. In fact, it’s typically only available in urban environments and is very rarely accessible in rural areas. If you don’t have the option of using natural gas, you can always opt for propane. However, it’s important to note that you will need to have a fuel storage tank at your home because propane is not a fuel that can get piped directly into your home from a city’s gas supply line. Electricity is available pretty much everywhere throughout the country, making it an available furnace option for everybody.
Maintenance
Both gas and electric furnaces need to receive annual professional maintenance to stay in good working condition. However, electric furnaces do tend to take less time to maintain. This takes into consideration that a gas furnace is going to have dirtier components due to the combustion process. Also, it has to be tested for things like carbon monoxide levels.
A Conclusion
When it comes to determining whether it’s cheaper to run an electric or a gas furnace, it’s important to take your specific area into consideration. Different utility companies are going to be charging different prices for electricity as well as natural gas and propane. In general, most people are going to find that it’s more expensive to heat their home with an electric furnace as compared to a natural gas or propane-powered furnace.
However, it’s important to look at the whole picture when deciding on what type of heating system is right for your home. While an electric furnace is going to be more expensive to run, it does come with some great benefits. It’s cheaper and easier to install. It lasts much longer than a gas furnace and doesn’t produce any toxic fumes that could be potentially dangerous for your family. On the other hand, a gas furnace is not only cheaper to run, but it also provides quicker heating for your home. This is highly beneficial for cold climates like the one in Drexel Hill.
Expert Furnace Installation Service
O'Brien Heating & Air Conditioning offers expert furnace installation services to the whole Drexel Hill, PA community. We can help you decide which equipment option is the best choice for your home. Our HVAC technicians will be more than happy to assist you with all your other heating, air conditioning, indoor air quality, heat pump, water heater, and commercial needs. Simply call O'Brien Heating & Air Conditioning today to book your next heating service appointment with our team.
