Gas Appliances

Considering switching to natural gas devices might be a way to reduce your bills at the same time as experiencing increases in comfort and efficiency.

Gas easy to extract in the United States meaning that prices per unit are low and stable, and gas is considered the least polluting fossil fuel, thus, it can be regarded as the least environmentally damaging alternative.

If you already have gas installed in your home, or are completing a new dwelling you might look at the possible benefits of gas home appliances and natural gas home appliances.

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

What are Gas Home Appliances?

A natural gas home appliance runs on gas as the dominant power source. These devices are a great substitute to electrically powered goods for heating your living space, heating water, heating food and even air conditioning and drying your clothes.

In many situations natural gas appliances still will need an electrical outlet but use natural gas as the primary source of power. The amount of electric needed depends on how the appliance works. For example, a gas boiler will work even if the power goes out, whereas a natural gas clothes dryer still needs electrical components to make the drum turn.

Types of Gas Appliances

Gas can be used for more than cooking.

Keeping You Warm

Keeping yourself warm with gas is typically less expensive than heating using electrical heaters. Savings can be up to 50% depending on your fuel prices and efficiency.

Gas heats the air more quickly and offers better reliability.This is due to gas lines being less exposed to the elements than power lines.

A Fireplace

As well as heating natural gas is perfect 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 Your Home

Gas air conditioners can offer an adept way to cool your home.

Gas air conditioning can be a higher price initially but is cheaper on an ongoing basis meaning a better return on your investment. Better effectiveness has the added positive impact of reducing your C02 emissions.

Heating Water

Gas water boilers come in two main designs, tank heaters and non-tank or on-demand heaters. Gas heaters are more rapid and more fuel efficient than electric water heaters. Tankless heaters also provide a continuous supply.

The fact that gas lines are usually dug into the ground and protected from the weather means you can still have hot water even when there’s a power outage.

Preparing Food

Everyone has come across the saying “cooking with gas”. A gas company marketing line created to link the use of natural gas to effectiveness and efficiency.

Regardless of the etiology the saying has stuck around because it is true. A great many chefs choose natural gas for the ability to control the heat, and natural gas ranges are also a much more efficient way of converting fuel into heat.

Dryers

Gas might not be the immediate thing you think of when it comes to drying clothes, however, natural gas dryers can be an excellent choice. They dry clothes a few degrees hotter thus drying clothes in less time and clothes have to endure less tumbling.

Using Gas Outside

Natural Gas doesn’t just have indoor uses. When it comes to outdoor living, gas is a great power source for lighting and cooking and can even be used to heat your spa.

Impress your guests before they even get out of the car with outdoor lighting, keep them warm on cool evenings and get food cooked outside, when you like, and without the having to go to fill up your propane bottles.

Just like indoor water heaters a pool or spa heater will heat the water twice as rapidly as an electric equivalent. And natural gas patio heaters provide atmosphere as well as giving heat for perfect indoor-outdoor living.

Benefits of Natural Gas Home Appliances

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

Choosing natural gas will save you money on your power bills.
Natural gas appliances tend to use less energy making them financially and environmentally viable.
Gas is an ecologically sound selection as it is the cleanest of the fossil fuels, with emissions of around 27% less carbon dioxide than oil and 45% less carbon dioxide than coal.
Gas lines are generally run underground making supply less likely to get interrupted. This means you can still cool your home even if you get a power outage.At worst you might need to find a match.

Disadvantages of Natural Gas Home Appliances

Natural gas devices generally are subject to a higher initial investment. Both the ticket price of the appliance and the cost to install are likely to be more.
Having a natural gas line installed 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.
Moving or extending a gas line can also cost a considerable amount so this should be added to any cost benefit analysis.
Safety comes first and carbon monoxide can be an issue if gas home appliances are not properly installed or not maintained. Installing a carbon monoxide alarm is non-negotiable is you use natural gas in your home.

Should You Choose Natural Gas?

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

If your main driver is cost gas is currently the lower priced option. However, while studies show that three-quarters of new home buyers are choosing to have natural gas, switching to gas comes at a cost. With this in mind, finding out how much a new gas line would cost if you don’t already have one is a good place to start.

Another reason to choose gas is that you are less likely to get interruptions in 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 count for a lot.

Lastly, in environmental terms, while gas devices are generally more efficient you can’t switch them to renewable sources like you can electrical home appliances. Installing renewable energy may turn out to be less expensive and more sustainable options in the long run.