Electric furnaces are an interesting topic to talk about. It’s not usually the first type of furnace system that homeowners in our area tend to think about, but it’s absolutely one that we recommend for certain homes that really wouldn’t do well with a gas furnace. If your home has an electric furnace, or you’ve been thinking about upgrading your furnace to one that better suits your needs, then this could be the blog post for you.
Our furnace services in Washington, DC include the installation, repairs, maintenance, and replacement of electric furnaces. Before we try to talk about the technology, we really want to hammer home that electric furnaces are a great alternative for homes that might not have access to gas or that have special needs.
Let’s get into some of the unique benefits of an electric furnace system.
Benefit #1: Efficiency
When natural gas is burned in a gas-powered furnace, not all of the gas turns into heat that can be used. While gas furnaces are incredibly efficient, they unfortunately lose a small percentage of heat to be vented outside with the fumes that the process creates.
Electric furnaces are 100% energy-efficient, which means all the energy your system consumes is used to heat your home. While this is awesome news, it heavily depends on how cheap electricity is in our area. If you have access to cheap electricity, due to a hydroelectric plant, or another nearby power plant that’s efficiently powered, then an electric furnace can be an incredibly effective method for keeping your home comfortable and your bills low.
Benefit #2: Electricity
Some homeowners just cringe at the thought of having a gas-burning heating appliance in their home. We understand. While gas furnaces are safe to run and overwhelmingly positive in safety measurements, it still does create toxic fumes that need to be exhausted from your home properly. Electric furnaces simply don’t deal with this kind of issue.
On the other hand, electric furnaces can still start electrical fires if they’re neglected or when repairs are missed. Any heating system can become unsafe if left to its own devices, so make sure you take care of your system, regardless of whether it’s an electric or gas-powered furnace.
But no, electric furnaces don’t create any toxic fumes and there is no combustion present in the system.
Benefit #3: Versatility
Getting access to natural gas lines can be a difficult ordeal. Homeowners who want gas furnaces often find out that actually getting the gas lines required to even start talking about gas furnace installation can be an extensive and expensive process to undergo. Meanwhile, an electric furnace can function pretty much anywhere there’s access to electricity.
More homes have access to electricity than natural gas, which means electric furnaces will be able to work in more homes than gas furnaces. If you’re on a tight initial budget, and don’t have access to natural gas, then an electric furnace could be the perfect system for you.
Contact Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. for your own electric furnace system.