Gas Appliances

Considering switching to gas devices could be an option to lower expenditures at the same time as experiencing gains in comfort, convenience and efficiency.

Gas easy to extract in the US resulting in low, stable prices, and shale gas is considered the cleanest fossil fuel, consequently, it can be regarded as the greener choice.

If you already have natural gas installed in your home, or are buying a new home you should consider the possible gains of switching to gas and natural gas home appliances.

Read more about gas appliances below from Colton Appliance Repair:

What are Gas Home Appliances?

A natural gas appliance makes use of gas as the primary fuel source. Gas appliances afford a workable substitute for electrically powered devices for heating your living space, heating water, heating food and even cooling your home and drying your clothes.

In general you will still need to plug in a gas appliance. The amount of electricity needed will vary from appliance to appliance. For example, a gas boiler will work even if the power goes out, whereas a gas tumble dryer still relies upon electricity to make the drum turn.

A List of Appliances That use Natural Gas.

Gas has many uses in your home.

Keeping You Warm

Keeping yourself warm with natural gas generally costs less than keeping warm using electricity. The reduction can be up to 50% depending on your energy tariffs and relative efficiency gains.

Natural gas provides higher air temperatures and offers better reliability.This is a huge benefit if you experience regular power outages in the winter

An Indoor Fire

Aside from general heating natural gas is ideal for having a fire in your home. With a gas fireplace, you still get real flames and plenty of warmth without the fuss.

Keeping Cool

Natural gas can offer an adept means to keep your home cool, even if there is a power failure.

Natural gas air conditioning can be a higher price to begin with but is more cost effective to run and maintain meaning cost savings in the long term. Better effectiveness also has a positive impact on your carbon footprint.

Water Heaters

Natural gas water heaters come in two styles, tank heaters and non-tank or on-demand heaters. Natural gas heaters are more rapid and more efficient than their electric substitutes. Tankless water heaters also offer a continuous supply even with high demand. Handy if you have a big household that enjoys long showers.

The fact that gas lines are generally dug into the ground and sheltered from the weather means you will still have the ability to wash even if you don’t have electricity.

Cooking Food

Everyone has heard the saying “cooking with gas”. A gas company marketing line conceived to link the use of gas with effectiveness and efficiency.

Clever marketing or not the phrase is used today because it is valid. A great many chefs and home cooks choose natural gas for the ease with which you can vary the temperature, and natural gas stoves also offer a less wasteful way of converting fuel into heat.

Tumble Dryers

Natural gas might not be the immediate thing you think of when it comes to laundry, however, gas clothes dryers have many advantages. Gas Dryers dry clothes a few degrees hotter thus clothes dry in a shorter time.

Outdoor Living

You have to restrict your natural gas use to indoor appliances. Outside, natural gas is a popular choice for lighting and outdoor cooking and can even be used to heat your spa.

delight friends as soon as they arrive with path lights, keep them toasty even when the temperature drops and get dinner ready outside, when you like, and without the having to go to fill up your gas bottles.

Just like domestic heaters a pool or spa heater will get up to temperature twice as fast as an electric heater. And natural gas patio heaters set the mood as well as giving warmth for perfect outside entertaining.

Advantages of Natural Gas Home Appliances

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

Gas is generally cheaper than electricity thus lowering your annual utility costs.
Natural gas home appliances tend to use less energy making them financially and environmentally viable.
Natural gas is an ecologically sound option as it is considered the least environmentally damaging of the fossil fuels, emitting around 27% less C02 than oil and 45% less carbon dioxide than coal.
Gas lines are less exposed to the elements making supply less likely to get interrupted. This means you can still heat water even if there’s no electricity supply.

Negatives of Natural Gas Home Appliances

Gas appliances tend to have a higher initial outlay. Both the ticket price of the appliance and the installation cost are likely to be greater for a natural gas appliance when comparing to electrical appliances.
Having a 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, so it is worth talking to your energy company before making a final decision.
Moving or extending a gas line can also cost a considerable amount so this should always be included in any price analysis.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be a killer if gas devices are not properly installed or not maintained. Installing a carbon monoxide alarm is non-negotiable is you use gas in your home.

Is a Gas Appliance Right for You?

Making the change between gas and electricity is not straightforward and the best choice for you may not be the optimal choice for everyone.

If your main driver is cost gas is for the time being the least expensive option. However, while studies show that three-quarters of new home buyers are choosing to have gas, retrospectively installing natural gas comes at a cost. Thus, finding out how much a new gas line would cost if you don’t already have one is a good first step.

Another reason to choose gas is stability of supply. If power cuts are common where you live then having appliances that continue to work during power cuts can count for a lot.

Finally, in environmental terms, while natural gas appliances are generally more efficient you can’t switch them to renewable sources like you can electrical appliances. Installing solar panels or a heat pump may turn out to be more cost-effective and more environmentally responsible options in the long run.