It may seem like there’s a lot of positive information out there about heating with natural gas. If you’re wondering whether a gas or electric furnace is the right choice for you or if you should switch from one to the other, you’re going to need some solid intel. The fact is, an electric furnace has unique benefits, and it might be the best option for you. Let’s discuss it.
Safety
Any modern furnace has a lot of safety mechanisms built in. It’s extremely unlikely that you’ll encounter any serious risk or hazard from any furnace today, as long as you have maintenance performed regularly to check on all the components and test for problems.
But there’s no denying it: an electric furnace produces no exhaust, and has absolutely no chance of causing carbon monoxide poisoning or a gas leak. If this would bring you peace of mind, that’s reason enough in itself to choose an electric furnace.
Efficiency
The cost of operating a furnace depends on a lot of things, like the size of the heating system and the cost of various energy sources in your area at this point in time. It’s often the case that it’s a bit less costly each month to heat with natural gas. But that’s not actually because it’s more efficient! No, for efficiency, electric heating is the way to go.
Efficiency is calculated as a percentage. How much of the energy consumed by the heating appliance actually becomes heat for your home, and how much is lost? Well, as we already pointed out, electric furnaces do not produce exhaust, and exhaust is how energy is lost in the heating process. For your safety, it has to be vented out, and it takes some of the heat with it.
Top-of-the-line, brand-new gas furnaces might be 85% efficient or more, only losing 15% of their energy. But an electric furnace is always 100% efficient. Every bit of energy it uses will go directly toward making your home warmer. This might be a high priority for you, to decrease your environmental impact, and if you have an alternate energy source, like solar, your heat could be completely green.
Longevity
A gas furnace will generally last about fifteen years. This is, again, due to the exhaust. It creates condensation inside the furnace, leaving moisture behind. And that moisture isn’t just water. No, it’s highly acidic, about the same pH as soda pop, and if you’ve ever seen one of those experiments about putting teeth in cola, you know that level of acidity can really eat away at things.
Corrosion is the leading cause of gas furnace retirement. But an electric furnace doesn’t have that problem. Without condensation and corrosion, an electric furnace can last significantly longer than a gas-burning one. They’ll often keep chugging along for twenty years or so! This means your safety and peace of mind, as well as your efficiency, will last for decades.
If you’re still not sure whether a gas or electric furnace in Skokie, IL is right for your home, we’d love to have a conversation with you.
Contact ServiceMax with any questions about heating systems.