Gas Appliances

Looking at natural gas home appliances could be a good option to reduce your bills while experiencing increases in ease, efficiency and performance.

Shale gas abundant in the US meaning that equivalent prices are low and stable, and gas is viewed as the least polluting fossil fuel, consequently, it can be seen as the environmentally responsible choice.

If you already have a natural gas line at home, or are building a new dwelling you may wish to consider the likely advantages of using more gas and gas household appliances.

Read more about gas appliances below from Peerless Appliance Repair:

What is a Gas Appliance?

A gas appliance uses gas as the main power source. Natural gas goods offer a viable substitute to electrical home appliances.

Generally you will still need to supply electricity to a gas appliance. The amount of electricity needed will vary from appliance to appliance. For example, a gas furnace will still operate even during a power cut, whereas a gas tumble dryer still relies upon electrical components.

A List of Devices That use Gas.

Gas can have a great many uses in your home.

Heating

Providing heat with gas is usually less expensive than keeping warm using electricity. Savings can be as much as 50% depending on your fuel costs and efficiency.

Gas makes the air hotter in a shorter time and offers better reliability.This is due to gas lines being better protected than power lines.

Fireplaces

Aside from general heating gas is perfect for having a fire in your home.Forget the hassle of having to collect or buy logs or clean out the ashes. With a gas fireplace, you still get real flames and a focal point without the fuss.

Cooling

Gas can offer an effective means to keep your home cool.

Natural gas air conditioning requires a greater initial investment but is more cost effective on an ongoing basis meaning a better return on your investment. Better effectiveness has the added positive impact of lowering your C02 emissions.

Water Heaters

There are two types of natural gas water boilers, non-tank and tank. Gas heaters are faster and more efficient than electric water heaters. Tankless heaters also give a continuous supply. Invaluable if you have a big household that indulges in long showers.

The fact that gas lines are almost always underground and protected from the elements means you will still have the ability to heat your home even if there’s a power outage.

Cooking Food

Everyone has encountered the phrase “cooking with gas”. A great advertising strategy conceived to link gas with effectiveness and efficiency.

Regardless of the etiology the phrase stuck because it is accurate. Most chefs choose natural gas for the fact that they can vary the heat, and natural gas hobs also offer a much more efficient way of turning fuel into heat.

Tumble Dryers

You might not immediately think of using natural gas in your laundry room, however, natural gas clothes dryers have many advantages. Gas Dryers operate a few degrees hotter thus clothes dry in less time.

Outdoor Entertaining

You have to restrict your natural gas use to indoor appliances. Outside the home, natural gas is a great power source for patio lights and outdoor cooking and even to heat your spa.

Impress friends before they even reach the front door with outdoor lighting, keep them warm on cool evenings and get the food cooking outside at the perfect temperature, whenever you are ready, 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 quickly as an electric heater. And natural gas outdoor heaters set the mood as well as giving comfort for perfect outside entertaining.

Advantages of Natural Gas Home Appliances

As with anything there are pros and cons to gas devices. First up the advantages.

Choosing natural gas will reduce your energy bills.
Natural gas home appliances tend to be more efficient making them financially and environmentally viable.
Natural gas is an ecologically sound choice as it is viewed as the least environmentally damaging of the fossil fuels, contributing around 27% less carbon dioxide 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 your home even if there’s no electricity supply.

Negatives of Natural Gas Appliances

Gas home appliances tend to have a higher initial outlay. Both the price 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.
Having a gas line moved or extended can also require a big outlay so this should be added to any price analysis.
Safety comes first and carbon monoxide can be an issue if gas appliances are not installed correctly or regularly maintained. Having a carbon monoxide alarm is essential is you use gas in your home.

Should You Choose Gas?

Making the decision between natural gas and electricity is not straightforward and the optimal choice for you might not be the optimal choice for everyone.

Currently natural gas is almost always cheaper than electricity, so if the cost 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 natural gas is expensive. With this in mind, finding out how much a new gas line would cost if you don’t currently have gas appliances is a good first step.

Another reason to choose 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 power cuts can count for a lot.

Finally, the eco-friendly credentials of gas could be considered as relatively short term, as you can’t power them from renewable sources in the same way you can electrical devices. Opting for solar panels or a heat pump could be a better investment and more sustainable options in the long run.