The debate of energy efficiency often extends to deciding which energy source is best for general appliances. While most home devices might run on electricity, large appliances such as water heaters, laundry machines, stoves, and ovens can use either electricity or natural gas depending on the setup. Many homeowners choose to power these items with natural gas because they were installed by a previous owner or the items boast a higher efficiency than their electric counterpart.
Here, we’ll take a look at how the energy needs of gas and electric appliances compare.
Financial Costs
While electric-powered appliances have functional advantages over gas appliances like a quicker and more consistent performance, electric devices have a bad reputation when it comes to financial costs. The prices that a homeowner faces aren’t limited to the upfront purchase. In order to swap out gas appliances for electric, or vice versa, a homeowner must also consider conversion costs; the existing gas or power lines would have to be updated to accommodate the power needs within the home.
In addition to the bulk costs of using one type of appliance energy over another, the appliances in question use a significant chunk of a home’s energy - which means that they’ll impact energy bills. Gas appliances are considered an inexpensive option for homes that use traditional energy sources. However, homes that run on a renewable resource such as solar power have consistently lower energy bills and therefore don’t endure the same costs as traditional utility powered homes.
Consumption & Efficiency
Depending on the appliance type and model, electric-powered items may require more energy to run, causing them to have a lower efficiency rating than their gas counterparts. So why would anyone choose that over a more efficient and inexpensive gas appliance? There could be several reasons but the one in the lead is flexibility. Electricity can be generated in numerous ways: from traditional sources through a utility provider or stored by the homeowner, or from renewable energy sources provided locally or at the home itself. The flexibility of electricity allows for flexibility in sourcing as well as budget.
Homeowners that have sought clean energy solutions have the advantage of obtaining energy at a lower cost than if sourced from traditional power plants. With a private energy system, such as a rooftop solar power system, a homeowner has the potential to produce more energy than they need. Items that use more energy in a home that generates its own power wouldn’t cause the same increase in electric bills as they would in utility-dependent homes.
Environmental Impact
Since household appliances significantly influence a home’s energy consumption, they also contribute to your impact on the environment. So the impact of the appliance depends on the home’s power source. Households that depend on utility energy are typically powered by fossil fuels, such as natural gas or coal, so gas appliances with a higher efficiency actually reduce their environmental impact. On the other hand, households that run on clean energy could be increasing their environmental impact by using natural gas instead of a renewable resource.
Home Energy with YellowLite
Ultimately, your home’s power source plays a big role in choosing which type of appliance would be best. Before you invest in a new water heater or oven, consider your home’s overall energy demands. Renewables like solar energy go a long way for homeowners looking to lower energy costs and reduce their dependency on local utility companies. Learn more about the benefits of solar power from the experts at YellowLite!
Reach out to one of our solar consultants and start planning your solar solution today!
