Comparing Gas and Electric Furnaces in Alton, Illinois

Furnace

Something that is quite exciting when it comes to life is building or moving into your first home in the Alton, IL area. It can be very overwhelming when deciding different choices, floors, paint, or even landscaping. Some things that you have to decide about, you might not realize that there were different choices when it comes to different decisions. An example of that would be deciding on your furnace. With a furnace, there are different types that you can decide from, each with its own set of pros and cons. If you are wanting to figure out which furnace is best for you, then continue reading on.

Residential Furnace

Finding the Better Between the Two

While there is natural gas that reminds the most used home heating fuel in the United States, it may not be available in all different areas of the country. Those with no access to these natural gasses have to rely on other sources of energy for their heating needs, including propane and electricity. Even if you are a homeowner with natural gas, you can opt for alternatives when selecting a new furnace.

The Electric Furnace

When it comes to different types of furnaces, a new electric furnace is seemingly less expensive. The average price of an electric system ranges from $1,000 to $1,500. When you look at an average gas furnace, a new one can range from $2,000 to $3,000 dollars. However with this in mind, a gas system is much less expensive to operate.

A primary benefit of an electric furnace is obviously the lower purchasing price. The technology behind electric heating is relatively simple, as they basically work such as a toaster or a hairdryer. Due to the simplicity of the design, electric furnaces have a longer service life ranging between 20 to even 30 years. This is compared to a gas furnace that can only have a life of 15 to 20 years.

Heater Maintenance

The Gas Furnace

Even with the more expensive of the two, the gas furnace does hold its own set of benefits. Natural gas is a much cheaper source of energy than just electricity, this means a gas furnace will then save you money every month in simple utility costs. Looking into the combustion chambers inside gas furnaces, operate at a much higher temperature than electric furnaces, which can mean that they also heat your home much faster than an electric unit.

Choosing between the two of your furnaces is an important decision that you should make together with your local heating contractor. If you have questions about the two, give our team at Dixon Heating & Cooling a call today! We are happy to help you figure out the system best for you!