Best Destin Hvac Contractor: Electric Vs Gas Hvac Heating System
Along with roof replacement and paint jobs, one of the last things a homeowner wants to hear is that they need a new HVAC system
. Even though it does not look like much in your garage or basement, replacing an HVAC heating and HVAC Air conditioning system means getting ready to spend from $3-$5 thousand dollars. How long do HVAC systems last? The average furnace probably works for about 14-20 years, assuming it is properly maintained. So by the time your furnace dies and you need to buy a new one, you are looking at replacing a mechanical and electronic appliance that is almost 2 decades old, which is an eternity in these modern times. So it is 2010, and your furnace is dead. Chance are, it was designed and installed back in the early 90s or late 80s. In those ancient times, a good furnace had an efficiency rating of about 60-80%, meaning that 80% of the electricity, gas or oil burned went to heat your house, and the rest was lost as waste heat up your chimney or vent. So you go shopping for a new furnace today, and you see 90, 92, 94, even 95% Energy Star effiency measurements on these new HVAC furnaces. What does this mean? What should you research and buy?
There is continued debate about energy efficency, including discussion regarding HVAC heating and HVAC air conditioning options in the coming years. There are many reasons for this discussion, one being the recently signed Kyoto agreement by our government. There will be further initiatives by our governments to reduce air pollution and emissions to meet these new standards. Converting some of our reliance on natural gas fired heating systems to electric heat may be a method employed to help meet these goals.
If your main concern is environmental damage, electric heat will eliminate the minimal emissions from a high efficiency gas fired furnace. Electric furnaces have no emissions, but construction of large scale hydro dams used to produce the electricity to operate them have an environmental impact, that should be considered. Installing a high efficiency natural gas furnace, regularly serviced and maintained, will also reduce the current pollutants exhausted by an oil furnace, considerably. Either choice will make a significant change for the positive, as well as reducing energy consumption, further helping the environmental cause.
Cost is always a consideration when upgrading systems within a home. Remember to consider all the upgrades required in your calculations, including the usual upgrading of the service panel to 200 amps, if needed. Check that your gas utility will install the underground supply piping and meter at no cost, again, if needed, or this may raise the cost of the gas furnace option. Life expectancy of the furnaces and maintenance costs should also be factored in.
Most natural gas HVAC heating, high efficiency condensing furnaces have a life expectancy of around 20 to 25 years. They require regular maintenance, cleaning and annual service. They also have many controls, igniters and safety devices that may require replacement before the end of life of the furnace. Safety should be a minor concern, as modern furnaces of this nature may have a sealed combustion chamber and many safety features to prevent any combustion products from entering the home.
Electric HVAC system furnaces have several heating elements that replace the combustion chamber and heat exchanger in a gas fired appliance. These are safety protected by over current devices, circuit breakers, in the electrical panel and may have other minimal safety controls. These furnaces require minimal maintenance, as they have no burner to clean and adjust, and no chimney or flue to inspect and maintain. Electric furnaces may also have a life expectancy that exceeds that of the natural gas equivalent. Therefore, overall maintenance costs of an electric furnace should be considerably lower, over the life of the unit.
Comparing the cost of natural gas HVAC system as opposed to an electric HVAC system, in the long term, is difficult to impossible to predict. Currently, natural gas costs may be lower, but not to a large degree. If privatization occurs, as it has many other places, anything may happen. No person can accurately predict the foreseeable future in relation to rising natural gas or electricity costs and an overriding monetary benefit of either system for heating your home. There should not be a major problem with selling the home in the future because electric heat was chosen over natural gas, or vice-versa. Making a choice based on your personal needs, financial resources and environmental concerns, at the current time, should be at the heart of your decision when considering your options.
by: Pamela Susan
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