Gas or Electric Heat/Appliances

[HCI]

I currently have all electric appliances including a heat pump for heating. I have a natural gas pipeline a couple hundred yards from my house and have been looking into slowly converting everything over to gas. As I am trying to do research to validate my decision all that I can find on the web when I google gas vs. electric is websites that say that one is better or cheaper than the other, but is mostly all from sites that have a purpose for promoting one or the other. Just for reference, family of 4, 4 bedroom 2 bath 1700sq ft house, electric bill in the summer is around 150-200, winter electric bill is 300-450.

 

[Nebugeater]

have had both. In the same utility area too. Without going into detail would go gas when given the choice in every situation. possible a kitchen stove is an exception.

 

[SatelliteGAL]

I always want a gas kitchen range, we have gas heat but for some odd reason I have an electric clothes dryer because I found a gas one scarey. Dont ask me why bbecause I have no idea. If I remember correctly I think the gas company web site might have a comparison of savings.

 

[HCI]

If I remember correctly I think the gas company web site might have a comparison of savings.

Yhea thats what I am haveing a problem with. If you go to a gas company web site it shows gas is cheaper, but if you go to the electric company web site it shows electric is cheaper.

 

[Bobby]

To give you a reference, I went from an electric dryer to a gas dryer a few years back. I paid $700 for the dryer which included a 3 year warranty. In 5 months I paid for the dryer in its entirety in the savings on my electric bill which includes the price of the gas. I have to qualify that a bit. We use the dryer a lot, maybe twice the normal of everyday folk. Now, the price of gas versus the price of electricity in your area may be different from mine, so use a little common sense in your decision.

 

[HCI]

Now, the price of gas versus the price of electricity in your area may be different from mine, so use a little common sense in your decision.

I called a couple of weeks ago and they stated $13.75 per thousand cubic feet for the gas.

 

[Van]

Weigh the cost of gas per hour versus the cost of electricity per hour on each unit against the rates from the utilities. Also you can look into whether your electric utility is purchasing bulk electric from renewable resources such as solar or wind or water turbine and if there is any special rate for choosing this option on your utility bill.

 

[HD MM]

Everything's natural gas at my house.

The furnace, dryer, oven, cooktop and fireplace. I even have a gas hose line connected to my grill outside. I can never go back to cooking on electric after using gas.

 

[digiblur]

Same here... came from a house with only the furnace was gas. Had to pay the stupid minimum $10 a month when were not using gas. And no, it wasn't cheaper to cut it off during the A/C months. I checked!

The new house I have has gas stove/range, gas furnace, and a gas dryer. I just had my brother-in-law pull the old electric water heater and swapped it with a 8 GPM Noritz tankless gas water heater. Love the water heater! My back was hurting and filled up a smoking hot bath after the kids had just showered. Nice not having to worry about running out of hot water. My utility bills should drop a good bit.

Don't forget that you can also get up to $1500 back on your taxes with "green" improvements.

 

[jayn_j]

Part of it is regional. Colorado had more electric appliances, for a very strange reason. Since it was a natural gas producing state, gas rates were not subject to ICC and were thus higher.

In the midwest, gas seems to be the dominant player. However, most places I have lived provide a mixture as follows:

Water Heater: predominately gas
Furnace: gas
dryer: mixed, but one seems to dominate in each area.
Stove: again mixed by area.

If I had total choice, I would go with gas cooktops, but an electric oven.

 

[navychop]

Gas furnace, fireplace and HWH here. We use an electric smoothtop stove. Easy to clean. Hard to go back to a gas stove, which is harder to clean but more of a joy to cook with. Might buy a gas dryer when the current electric dies.

Generally, gas is more comfortable, furnace wise.

 

[Bobby]

Part of it is regional. Colorado had more electric appliances, for a very strange reason. Since it was a natural gas producing state, gas rates were not subject to ICC and were thus higher.

In the midwest, gas seems to be the dominant player. However, most places I have lived provide a mixture as follows:

Water Heater: predominately gas
Furnace: gas
dryer: mixed, but one seems to dominate in each area.
Stove: again mixed by area.

If I had total choice, I would go with gas cooktops, but an electric oven.

When I first bought the house I am in now, it had a gas furnace and water heater. The stove and dryer was electric. I did a kitchen remodel and at that time I added gas to the kitchen and laundry room. I've already remarked on my savings with the dryer. I bought a cooking range with a gas cooktop and an electric convection oven. The best of all worlds.

 

[jayn_j]

When I first bought the house I am in now, it had a gas furnace and water heater. The stove and dryer was electric. I did a kitchen remodel and at that time I added gas to the kitchen and laundry room. I've already remarked on my savings with the dryer. I bought a cooking range with a gas cooktop and an electric convection oven. The best of all worlds.

I did some HP - Santa Rosa time back in the early '80s. We had mostly gas, except for electric dryer. I seem to recall both outlets were there, but we had brought the dryer out from Colorado, and were too broke to consider upgrading.

 

[Islandguy43]

To give you a reference, I went from an electric dryer to a gas dryer a few years back. I paid $700 for the dryer which included a 3 year warranty. In 5 months I paid for the dryer in its entirety in the savings on my electric bill which includes the price of the gas. I have to qualify that a bit. We use the dryer a lot, maybe twice the normal of everyday folk. Now, the price of gas versus the price of electricity in your area may be different from mine, so use a little common sense in your decision.

I have gas heat and hot water, but electric for stove and dryer. I find it very hard to believe that a gas dryer paid for itself in 5 months. Most of the modern electric dryers are quite efficient and cheaper in the upfront cost.

I suppose if you have a huge family or run a laundry business gas is cheaper; but I had hookups for both in my house and went with the electric because it just seemed to be a safer appliance and one less appliance to worry about a gas leak. Plus Niagara Falls is almost in my back yard we get supposedly "cheaper" hydro electric.

 

[Skyhi]

Gas: Dryer, Furnace, and Hot water heater
Electric: Stove

I'd love to run a gas line to the kitchen for a gas range.

 

[digiblur]

Gas: Dryer, Furnace, and Hot water heater
Electric: Stove

I'd love to run a gas line to the kitchen for a gas range.

Hot water heater? If it is already hot why heat it?

 

[Skyhi]

Hot water heater? If it is already hot why heat it?

Doh!

 

[Bob Haller]

GAS water heaters have far superior first hour ratings and recovery over time. if you live where it freezes in winter beware of tankless water heaters, they have trouble when incoming water is too cold.

right now theres a tax credit for high efficency furnaces, water heaters etc. let uncle sam pay 30% of the cost