Electricity Price Comparison

Six months ago, I moved into a quaint, rustic little house. I wanted a house, with a nice big yard; I was sick of noisy, cramped apartment living. The house was a mess and the landlord had yet to fix the heating situation. My rent was to be lower than what I had been paying for my apartment; however, I would be making up the difference by paying my own utility bill.

The house utilizes gas for heating water and use of the stove. The rates for gas in my area have increased twice in the last few years, and with an active family, our utility bill is high enough. I was certainly concerned about the type of heating unit my landlord would ultimately install.

Though I would have little say so in the matter, I still did my homework. I wanted to be prepared, come what may. I thought it would be a good idea to share my thoughts and the information I uncovered on the pros and cons of gas vs. electricity for heating your home. In the end, my landlord installed electric wall units to heat our home, but I am still glad I looked into the matter.

Natural gas prices continue to rise. Like I mentioned before, where I live, the price has risen twice in the last five years alone; a 20% increase each time! That being said, while using gas to heat your home can be costly, it is probably not the most cost effective solution to switch to electricity altogether, unless your gas furnace or heating unit is already on its last legs.

Proper maintenance and an energy audit can help you to discover ways in which to cut your winter heating bill. In many areas, the utility company will provide an energy audit at no extra charge. While gas heating can be expensive, I can tell you that is sure is efficient! It heats things up fast and keeps the temperature nice and cozy for a while.

Electric heating is the cheaper route, for the most part. Of course, regardless of what type of electric heating unit you’re using, you do not want to leave it running on the highest setting at all times. You won’t save much money this way. You want to turn the heat on, get it to a cozy temperature, and lower the setting or use a built in thermostat to regulate the temperature and operation of the unit.

Electric units present even more of a fire hazard than gas heating units, so be sure that they are never left unattended and that all units are in good working condition. Older units can easily malfunction and create a safety hazard for you and your family.

Now, I prefer the cost savings of electric heating; however, keep in mind that electric units take a little bit of time to heat up. The house will stay a tad cold for a bit, if the unit(s) have been off for a while. However, once they get going, they can be just a cozy as gas heat. Still, nothing will ever replace the comfort and warmth created by the heat of an old fashioned fireplace…complete with the sound of crackling logs and a warm cup of cocoa… but that, my friends, is another story.

Whichever type of heating you choose to utilize, you an optimize your heating efforts and decrease your energy bill by ensuring that your home is winterized. Use caulking, weather stripping,, plastic, window kits, outlet seals, heavy drapes, etc. to block out any drafts and retain the heat inside your home.

Winterizing can save you hundreds of dollars or more on heating every year. It does not cost a lot to winterize; in fact, it costs more to heat a house back up than it does to maintain a comfortable temperature.