Gas Appliances

Considering switching to natural gas devices may be an option to reduce your bills while seeing increases in ease, efficiency and performance.

Natural gas abundant in the US resulting in low, stable prices, and gas is considered the cleanest non-renewable energy source, consequently, it can be viewed as the least environmentally damaging alternative.

If you already have gas installed at home, or are building a new dwelling you may wish to look at the probable gains of switching to natural gas and natural gas appliances.

Find more information about gas appliances here from Lynn Appliance Repair:

What are Natural Gas Appliances?

A gas home appliance makes use of gas as the primary fuel source. Natural gas goods offer a workable alternative to electrically powered goods.

In general you will still need to plug in a gas appliance. The amount of electricity used depends on how the appliance works. E.g, a gas heater can still be used even when there is a power outage, whereas a natural gas dryer still needs electricity to make the drum turn.

Different Gas Appliances

Natural gas can have any number of purposes in your house.

Proving Heat

Keeping yourself warm with gas generally costs less than heating using electricity. Savings can be as much as 50% depending on your fuel tariffs and efficiency.

Natural gas heats the air more efficiently and offers better reliability.

An Indoor Fire

Aside from heating gas is great for a log fire with real flames. With a gas fireplace, you still get that open fire feeling and plenty of warmth without the hassle.

Cooling

Gas air conditioners can offer an effective way to keep your home cool, even if there is a power failure.

Natural gas fueled air conditioning requires a greater initial investment but is more cost effective on an ongoing basis meaning cost savings in the long term. Superior effectiveness has the added positive impact of lowering your C02 emissions.

Heating Water

There are two styles of gas water boilers, on demand and tank. Gas heaters are faster and more productive than electric water heaters. On-demand water heaters also offer a continuous supply even with high demand. Invaluable if you have a big household that enjoys long showers.

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

Preparing Food

We’ve all come across the saying “cooking with gas”. A gas company marketing line designed to link gas to effectiveness and efficiency.

Clever marketing or not the saying stuck because it is accurate. A great many chefs and home cooks choose natural gas for the fact that they can vary the heat, and gas stoves are also a less wasteful way of converting fuel into heat.

Tumble Dryers

You might not instantly think of using natural gas to dry your clothes, however, gas clothes dryers are a great choice. Gas Dryers heat the air a few degrees hotter thus drying clothes in less time.

Outdoor Living

Natural Gas doesn’t just have indoor uses. When it comes to outdoor living, gas is often used for patio lights and outdoor cooking and can even be used to heat your pool.

delight friends as soon as they arrive with outdoor lighting, keep them toasty on cool evenings and get the food cooking outside, when you like, and without the having to go to fill up your gas bottles.

Just like indoor water heaters a pool or spa heater will heat the water twice as rapidly as an electric heater. And gas outdoor heaters set the mood as well as offering warmth for luxurious outside entertaining.

Pros of Gas Appliances

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

Gas is generally less expensive than electricity thus lowering your annual power bills.
Gas devices tend to use less energy making them a better choice for your wallet and for the environment.
Gas is an environmentally responsible selection as it is viewed as the cleanest of the fossil fuels, with emissions of around 27% less C02 than oil and 45% less carbon dioxide than coal.
Gas lines are generally run underground making supply more reliable. This means you can continue to heat water even if the power goes out.At worst you might need to find a match.

Disadvantages of Gas Appliances

Natural gas home appliances tend to are subject to a higher initial outlay. Both the value of the appliance and the installation cost are likely to be greater.
Installing a new gas line if you don’t already have one can be expensive. The cost will vary depending on how close the nearest supply is to your home, so it is worth talking to your energy company before making any decisions.
Moving or extending a natural gas line can also be expensive so this should be added to any price analysis.
Safety first! Carbon monoxide can be an issue if natural gas devices are not properly installed or regularly maintained. Installing a carbon monoxide alarm is essential is you use natural gas in your home.

Should You Choose Gas?

Making the decision between gas and electricity is not easy and the right choice for you probably won’t be the best decision for everyone.

If your main driver is cost gas is at the moment the least expensive fuel. However, while studies show that three-quarters of new home buyers are choosing to have natural gas, switching to natural gas comes at a cost. Thus, finding out how much a new gas line would cost if you don’t currently have gas appliances is a good first step.

Another key advantage of natural gas is reliability of supply. If power cuts happen often in your area then having appliances that continue to work during power cuts can count for a lot.

Finally, the environmental credentials of natural gas could be considered as relatively short term, as you can’t power them from renewable sources like you can electrical devices. Choosing solar panels or a heat pump may turn out to be a better investment and more environmentally responsible options in the long run.