Gas vs. Electric: Which Is the Better Furnace?
It’s still pretty chilly around here right now, particularly at night. With that in mind, we really hope that you are getting the performance that you deserve from your home heating system. If we installed and serviced it, we’re betting that this is the case. That being said, even the best heaters from the best manufacturers installed and tuned up by the best technicians will not last forever. You’ll need a replacement eventually, and you’ll want to do some research before deciding on a new system.
If you are investing in a heating system for the very first time, or you need to replace an old heating system that just cannot cut it anymore, let us know about it. We install and service many great systems, including furnaces. Furnaces are incredibly popular, but you still need to narrow it down a bit further. Will you be using a gas or electric furnace in Cary, NC? Both have their pros and cons.
What They Share in Common
Both gas furnaces and electric furnaces are forced air heating systems. That means that both heat air directly, and then distribute that heated air throughout the house via a system of ductwork. They can share this ductwork with your central air conditioning system, so they make a lot of sense in homes with such systems already in place.
Where They Differ: Pros and Cons
Electric furnaces are very reliable, as they are really very simple. The use electric resistance heating in order to heat the air that they distribute throughout the house, and electricity is already available in pretty much every home out there. If you don’t use electricity, you’re probably not looking for a whole-house heating system!
They are also more affordable than gas furnaces as far as sticker prices go, and they are incredibly efficient. This does not mean that they are necessarily cheaper to use than gas furnaces, though. The fact is that electricity is more expensive than natural gas.
While gas furnaces may lose some heat to flue gases, modern technology offers some incredibly efficient systems. Yes, they cost more than electric furnaces, but the affordability of natural gas can help you to save money in the long run. Plus, natural gas may also be used for fueling your range/oven, water heater, and even your clothes dryer.
Access to natural gas is not guaranteed, though our infrastructure makes it widely available. If you already have natural gas access on your property, then there really is not a lot to recommend the electric furnace over the gas models available to you. That being said, some homeowners don’t want to pipe a combustible fuel into their houses, and our fairly mild winters mean that we aren’t giving our heaters the same type of workout that they do in Minnesota or Vermont. That can alleviate some of the concern regarding the operational costs of electric furnaces. Whatever system you decide is right for you, be sure to schedule your furnace services with us.
Raleigh Heating & Air will keep you warm and cozy, consistently.