For many homeowners, it’s not really their fault that they use an electric furnace. The system might have been there when you bought the house, or perhaps you purchased an electric heater because you didn’t have access to natural gas from your municipality. However, gas lines have extended a lot in the past twenty years, and gas furnaces are one of the most effective ways to heat a home.
Take a look around you. If your heating in Bucks County isn’t doing the best job, and it’s forcing you to use space heaters all over the place, or you’re drinking hot tea because your fingers are numb, then perhaps your heater needs to be replaced by one that’s powerful enough to work.
Today, we’re going to make the case that a gas furnace could be that heater!
Gas Furnaces Are Extremely Safe
Safety comes first, and we’d like to address any safety concerns before we get into the rest of this blog.
Many homeowners just hear the word “gas furnace” and they’re immediately turned off by it. Why invest in a gas-burning appliance when an electric system could operate just as easily and be safer? Well, all heating systems can be hazards to your home when they’re neglected. Gas furnaces aren’t inherently unsafe just because they burn gas.
There’s a reason why gas furnaces are the most common heating system in America. Natural gas is clean-burning, locally produced, and it’s perfect at heating the air in your home. Gas furnaces are also built with safety protocols so that they don’t overheat or leak fumes without having gone through some pretty extreme neglect. As long as your system gets regular maintenance and repairs when something goes wrong, it will operate safely.
High AFUE Ratings Means Great Efficiency
People often assume that gas isn’t as efficient as electricity. We understand why this makes sense: electric cars and trucks are extremely efficient, and so are electric heating systems. But gas furnaces are also highly efficient for what they do.
Gas furnaces these days have AFUE ratings of 90 and above. The AFUE rating stands for “annual fuel utilization efficiency,” and it’s basically the percentage of fuel that gets turned into heat for your home. The closer this number is to 100, the more efficient and affordable your system is to run. For comparison, wood-burning stoves can reach up to 70 or 80 AFUE, but that’s about it. Natural gas furnaces are exceptionally efficient in this regard.
Power at Any Cold Temperature
There’s not really much room to mess around here in PA. Winter is coming and it’s going to be cold. Gas furnaces, for how efficient they are, are also very effective at colder temperatures. Few heating appliances come close to the power of a gas-fueled furnace that can quickly provide adequate heat for your entire house.
Ask your neighbors about their gas furnaces, and anyone who lives in a similar climate to you. You’ll notice a trend! Gas furnaces are standard in environments with colder winters, because they’re both powerful and reliable tools to stay warm.
Call Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling to invest in a gas furnace today!