Home Heating

Nothing heats your home quicker and more efficiently than natural gas. Air from a natural gas furnace is up to 25 degrees warmer than air from an electric heat pump, so there are no cool drafts in the winter.

When it comes to home heating there are a few different options.

Furnace – Operates using natural gas, typically provides warmer air than a heat pump because it’s actually converting gas to heat, as opposed to moving warmer air to cooler places like the heat pump operates.

Heat Pump – Operates using electricity, typically best for milder temperature regions that require moderate heating and cooling. There are different types of heat pumps but the most common is the air-source heat pump, which transfers heat between your house and the outside air.

Dual Fuel Heat Pump – Operates on both electricity and natural gas (or heating oil), a dual fuel heat pump primarily runs on electricity and switches over to another energy source, natural gas, when temperatures get too cold for the heat pump to provide warm enough air.

ANNUAL APPLIANCE OPERATING COST COMPARISON

Heat

Appliance	Rate	Conversion	Unit	Eff %	Usage	Total Op Cost
Natural Gas	$1.00	1	1.00	0.90	350	$388.89
Electric Heat Pump	$0.11	29.3	3.223	2.00	350	$564.03
Propane	$1.75	1.092	1.91	0.90	350	$743.17

APPLIANCE

Natural Gas
Rate – $1.00
Conversion -1
Unit – 1.00
Eff % – 0.90
Usage – 350
TOTAL OP COST: $388.89

Electric
Rate – $0.11
Conversion – 29.3
Unit – 3.223
Eff % – 2.00
Usage – 350
TOTAL OP COST: $546.03

Propane
Rate – $1.75
Conversion – 1.092
Unit – 1.91
Eff % – 0.90
Usage – 350
TOTAL OP COST: $349.48

VIEW LEGEND:

Rate: The unit charge or charges made to customers for their energy consumption. This can fluctuate based on weather, household size, living habits, etc.
Conversion: In order to accurately compare rates for different energies, it is necessary to convert the units of measure for each into comparable measurements.
Unit: A measurement of energy consumed within a time period. In this case electricity is typically measured in kilowatt hours, propane is measured in gallons, and natural gas is measured in therms.
Eff %: Appliances are rated based on meeting energy efficiency requirements, by the Federal Government. The standards (ENERGY STAR rating or other energy-efficiency standard) help consumers identify and purchase products that offer savings on energy bills without sacrificing performance, features and comfort.
Usage: Energy used in one year by a particular appliance.
Total operating cost: The amount of money determined based on how much energy is consumed, based on the rate, and the cost of operating a specific appliance.