Gas Appliances

Looking at switching to natural gas devices might be a way to save money while seeing increases in comfort, convenience and efficiency.

Shale gas is in plentiful supply in the US resulting in low, stable prices per unit, and natural gas is viewed as the cleanest non-renewable energy source, thus, it can be regarded as the least environmentally damaging option.

If you already have a natural gas line in your house, or are completing a new dwelling you may wish to consider the potential advantages of natural gas home appliances and natural gas appliances.

Read more about gas appliances below from Anderson’s Appliance Repair:

What are Natural Gas Home Appliances?

A gas device uses natural gas as the dominant power source. These appliances present a practicable alternative for electrical goods for heating your home, heating water, cooking food and even air conditioning and drying your clothes.

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 water heater will produce hot water even during a power cut, whereas a natural gas tumble dryer still needs electricity.

A List of Devices That Run On Natural Gas

Gas can have a great many purposes in your home.

Keeping You Warm

Heating your home with gas is usually less expensive than heating your home using electrical heaters. Savings can be as high as 50% subject to your fuel prices and relative efficiency gains.

Gas makes the air hotter in a shorter time and offers better reliability.

An Indoor Fire

Apart from heating gas is ideal for a log fire with real flames.Forget the hassle of having to collect or buy logs or clean out the ashes. With a natural gas fireplace, you still get all the ambiance and a focal point without the hassle.

Keeping Cool

Gas can offer an efficient way to keep cool.

Natural gas powered air conditioning are often more expensive to install but is better value to run and maintain meaning a better return on your investment. Superior effectiveness also has a positive impact on your carbon footprint.

Water Heating

Gas water boilers come in two forms, tank heaters and non-tank or on-demand heaters. Natural gas heaters are quicker and more efficient than their electric alternatives. On-demand heaters also give a continuous supply.

The fact that natural gas lines are generally hidden and guarded from the weather ensures you can still have hot water even when you don’t have electricity.

Preparing Food

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

Regardless of the origin the phrase has stuck around because it is valid. A great many chefs and home cooks choose gas for the ability to vary the heat, and natural gas hobs also offer a less wasteful way of turning fuel into heat.

Dryers

You might not immediately think of using natural gas to dry your clothes, however, natural gas dryers can be an excellent choice. They operate at a higher temperature thus drying clothes in less time.

Outdoor Entertaining

You have to restrict your gas use to indoor appliances. Outside the home, gas is a great power source for patio lights and cooking and can even be used to heat your pool.

Wow friends before they even reach the front door with driveway lights, keep them toasty even when the temperature drops and get a meal prepared outside, when you like, and without the having to go to fill up your propane bottles.

Just like indoor heaters a pool or spa heater will get up to temperature twice as rapidly as an electric heater. And natural gas patio heaters set the mood as well as providing warmth for the best indoor-outdoor living.

Advantages of Gas Appliances

As with anything there are pros and cons to gas home appliances. First up the benefits of choosing Natural Gas.

Choosing gas will reduce your energy bills.
Natural gas home appliances tend to use less energy making them financially and environmentally viable.
Gas is an ecologically sound selection as it is considered the least environmentally damaging of the fossil fuels, emitting around 27% less carbon dioxide than oil and 45% less C02 than coal.
Gas lines are less exposed to the elements making supply less likely to get interrupted. This means you can continue to heat water even if you get a power outage.

Cons of Gas Appliances

Gas devices usually are subject to a higher initial cost. Both the value of the appliance and the installation cost are likely to be greater for a gas appliance when looking at next to electrical appliances.
Having a gas line installed can be costly. The price will vary depending on a number of factors.
Moving or extending a gas line can also cost a considerable amount so this should be included in any cost comparisons.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be a killer if gas devices are not installed correctly or regularly maintained. making sure you have a carbon monoxide alarm is a must is you use natural gas in your home.

Is a Gas Appliance Right for You?

Making the change between gas and electricity is not always simple and the optimal choice for you may not be the best choice for everyone.

Currently gas is almost always less expensive than electricity, so if the price is your main motivation this can be a major factor in the decision-making process. However, while studies show that three-quarters of new home buyers are choosing to have gas, switching to gas is expensive. Therefore, finding out how much a new gas line would cost if you don’t currently have gas appliances is a good place to start.

Another benefit of natural gas is reliability of supply. If power failures are common where you live then being able to heat water, heat or cool your home and cook during outages can be a big plus.

Lastly, the environmental credentials of gas may be relatively short term, as you can’t switch them to renewable sources like you can electrical goods. Opting for solar panels or a heat pump could be a better investment and more sustainable options in the long run.