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BS and tha
I'm looking at Condos right now one has a gas furnace and water tank, while the other 2 have an electric(forced air) furnace and an electric water heater.
Which is more expensive to run in terms of energy bills? Do Electric Furnaces last longer then gas? Are they cheaper to replace? Does an electric furnace use a heating element or what?(vs a gas using a flame)
The one I'm looking at still has an electric furnace from the mid 70's. Should i be worried?
Answer
Electric is MUCH more expensive to operate. It uses something called "heat strips" to provide heat. Have you ever seen a fake fireplace that provides heat by blowing air over a coil that heats up? It provides heat but is very expensive to run because it has to keep the coil red hot to provide heat. Well that's the same way an electric furnace is going to heat your condo, except it has strips that it heats up and blows air over.
I would definitely go with the one with gas heat. By the way, a forced hot air furnace can still be gas. That's what we had in New Jersey and my bills were not out of line.
A gas furnace costs more to replace, but a lot less to operate. Same with a gas dryer. It's more to purchase, but less to operate.
An electric furnace from the 70's is probably not a very energy efficient model so I would definitely think twice.
Good luck with finding your new condo and happy moving!!
Electric is MUCH more expensive to operate. It uses something called "heat strips" to provide heat. Have you ever seen a fake fireplace that provides heat by blowing air over a coil that heats up? It provides heat but is very expensive to run because it has to keep the coil red hot to provide heat. Well that's the same way an electric furnace is going to heat your condo, except it has strips that it heats up and blows air over.
I would definitely go with the one with gas heat. By the way, a forced hot air furnace can still be gas. That's what we had in New Jersey and my bills were not out of line.
A gas furnace costs more to replace, but a lot less to operate. Same with a gas dryer. It's more to purchase, but less to operate.
An electric furnace from the 70's is probably not a very energy efficient model so I would definitely think twice.
Good luck with finding your new condo and happy moving!!
Alternatives to burning wood or coals in your fireplace during the upcoming winter months?
Ice_Queen
I've tried those single logs that burn for 2 hours and then I've also tried regular burning wood, but it's a messy job early in the morning when I have to sweep all the ashes, and I suffer from terrible allergies.
I am a conservationist and my family and I are trying are best to search for other possible alternatives to cutting our heating, gas, and electric bills over the winter months. Does anyone have any good suggestions?
Answer
Since you are a conservationalist there is really only a few options for you to effectively use your open fireplace in a "green" way. First lets get the bad news out of the way...
The first thing you must understand is that open fireplaces always waste more heat than they generate. Think of them as a wood toilet. I know it sounds counter-intuitive since obviously a fire generates heat. But, the air movement that a fireplace creates in your home is referred to as the "stack effect" and it literally sucks heat out of your home. The fire in the fireplace is grabbing your interior air that your furnace already worked hard to heat and is using it for combustion and tossing it up the chimney along with most of the heat the fire is creating. Meanwhile, your home cannot remain a vacuum after loosing all this air mass, so it starts sucking in cold outside air from other weak points in the home envelope (like windows and doors). In return for this massive waste the fireplace casts a paltry 10% of its available heat forward as radiant heat.
The US Department of Energy has put some statistics to the use of fireplaces. They estimate that a homeowner will consume 10% - 20% more furnace fuel if a fireplace is used regularly in that home.
Now for the good news...If your main goal is to get usable heat from this fireplace an upgrade is in order. An efficient fireplace insert is the only way you can control the heat and air access to your fireplace. plus they are usually equipped with a fan that helps you harvest all that usable radiant heat coming from the insert. An upgrade like this will cost you a few thousand dollars for an efficient model. Unfortunately, the quality manufacturers of these are backordered for about 4-5 months this winter.
Here is the cost effective option: If you donât have a couple of grand to drop on an insert, and you are looking to just get a little ambiance from your fireplace, you can go this route. First, get that fireplace damper plugged up nice and tight with a chimney balloon damper. Inflate it in the fireplace flue to stop the heat seepage and cold draft through your old damper. Then get a candelabra with some soy candles and put it in the hearth. The soy candles are not petroleum based so they will not push out soot into your interior air. Beanpod makes a pretty good product, but there are others as well. If you have 5 or 6 candles burning in the fireplace you will get a nice flickery glow to the room that is every bit as pleasant as a flickery wood fire, but not as wasteful.
Some people swear by the electric style fireplace inserts, and you can go that route too. They are inexpensive compared to wood inserts, but my opinion is they look a little cheesy.
Since you are a conservationalist there is really only a few options for you to effectively use your open fireplace in a "green" way. First lets get the bad news out of the way...
The first thing you must understand is that open fireplaces always waste more heat than they generate. Think of them as a wood toilet. I know it sounds counter-intuitive since obviously a fire generates heat. But, the air movement that a fireplace creates in your home is referred to as the "stack effect" and it literally sucks heat out of your home. The fire in the fireplace is grabbing your interior air that your furnace already worked hard to heat and is using it for combustion and tossing it up the chimney along with most of the heat the fire is creating. Meanwhile, your home cannot remain a vacuum after loosing all this air mass, so it starts sucking in cold outside air from other weak points in the home envelope (like windows and doors). In return for this massive waste the fireplace casts a paltry 10% of its available heat forward as radiant heat.
The US Department of Energy has put some statistics to the use of fireplaces. They estimate that a homeowner will consume 10% - 20% more furnace fuel if a fireplace is used regularly in that home.
Now for the good news...If your main goal is to get usable heat from this fireplace an upgrade is in order. An efficient fireplace insert is the only way you can control the heat and air access to your fireplace. plus they are usually equipped with a fan that helps you harvest all that usable radiant heat coming from the insert. An upgrade like this will cost you a few thousand dollars for an efficient model. Unfortunately, the quality manufacturers of these are backordered for about 4-5 months this winter.
Here is the cost effective option: If you donât have a couple of grand to drop on an insert, and you are looking to just get a little ambiance from your fireplace, you can go this route. First, get that fireplace damper plugged up nice and tight with a chimney balloon damper. Inflate it in the fireplace flue to stop the heat seepage and cold draft through your old damper. Then get a candelabra with some soy candles and put it in the hearth. The soy candles are not petroleum based so they will not push out soot into your interior air. Beanpod makes a pretty good product, but there are others as well. If you have 5 or 6 candles burning in the fireplace you will get a nice flickery glow to the room that is every bit as pleasant as a flickery wood fire, but not as wasteful.
Some people swear by the electric style fireplace inserts, and you can go that route too. They are inexpensive compared to wood inserts, but my opinion is they look a little cheesy.
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Title Post: Whats the difference between an electric and gas furnace? as far as cost and upkeep go?
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Rating: 100% based on 99998 ratings. 5 user reviews.
Author: Unknown
Thank FOr Coming TO My Blog
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