Comparing natural gas vs electric heating
2008-07-24 by RobCalculating comparative heating costs
I live in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada and have basically two choices for heating my home: natural gas, or electric. My home has been heated with natural gas since it was built about 30 years ago. I recently did a calculation comparing electric space heating to natural gas to see if it might be worth switching. I was interested in comparing both cost, and greenhouse gas emissions. Here is what I found out. These results are specific to my home and my region.
| Electric (per kWh consumed) | Gas (per kWh consumed) | Gas (per kWh used) | |
| CO2 | 0.0055 kg | 0.2 kg | 0.33 kg |
| Cost | $0.071 | $0.043 | $0.072 |
Experimenting with electric space heating
Empirical data always trumps calculations, so I performed a simple experiment over a couple of consecutive winters to test the theory.
My home was originally built with a natural gas furnace and forced air heating system. In the winter of 2006/2007 I heated my home “normally” with my gas furnace (plus the heat from electrical equipment in my home). In the winter of 2007/2008 I turned my furnace off completely and heated my home entirely using electric space heaters. I do not use significant electric power outside the home (no Christmas lights for me) so it’s a reasonable assumption that all my electrical usage ends up as heat inside my home. What little gas usage is shown in the second chart was for my hot water heater. The reason I compared only winter months is so that I could be certain all the windows and doors were closed for both tests.
The data below shows the results of my experiment.
These first two charts show average continuous power consumption in kW. I determined the average power consumption in each month by taking the total energy consumed in kWh and dividing it by the total time in hours. Power is a more useful measurement than total energy consumption because, in theory, the temperature difference you maintain between the inside of your home and the outside should be directly proportional to your continuous power consumption. The two charts seem to indicate strongly that heating my home with electricity is more efficient than with gas. It clearly required less power to maintain the interior temperature in the winter of 2007/2008. However, these charts don’t tell the whole story since the temperature difference being maintained could have been different between the two years. The data can be normalized by looking at the temperature difference (T_inside – T_outside) per kW of continuous power consumption. The average outside temperature during each month is provided on my gas statement, and I monitor the inside temperature myself. Here is a plot of temperature difference per kW of continuous power consumption for both winters.
°C/kW is technically a measure of the thermal resistance of my home’s building envelope. It should be roughly constant over all months since it is a property of the materials and geometry of my home. However it isn’t constant in the chart. The reason is that there is an additional heat source, solar, that I haven’t accounted for. Solar input power is the reason both lines rise at either end of the chart. Higher solar input in these months results in less power being required from electrical or gas sources to maintain a given temperature difference.
To reduce solar effects that might vary from one year to the next, lets compare the data in December. Using only electric heat, I could maintain a temperature difference of approximately 4°C/kW. Using mostly gas heat, I could maintain a temperature difference of only 2°C/kW. Therefore, my above estimated gas heating efficiency of 60% was actually high. This data seems to indicate a gas heating efficiency of less than 50%.
My total energy consumption and cost for these two consecutive years agree with this assessment:
| 12 months ending May, 2007 | 12 months ending May, 2008 | Change | |
| Gas consumed | 24393 kWh | 2522 kWh | -21871 kWh |
| Electricity consumed | 10900 kWh | 19765 kWh | +8865 kWh |
| Total Cost | $1973 CAD | $1616 CAD | -$357 CAD |
I was able to replace the loss of 21871 kWh of gas consumption with only 8865 kWh of additional electrical consumption. Assuming similar temperature differences being maintained in each year, that indicates a gas heating efficiency of only around 40% compared to electric space heating. Note then that my “real” cost of heating with gas (without replacing my furnace) is around $0.1075/kWh (that’s kWh into my home and not up my chimney) compared to $0.071/kWh for electric. Note also that the $357 difference represents about an 18% savings and more than covered the cost of the space heaters I purchased.
Replacing my current gas furnace with a higher efficiency gas furnace would likely make heating with gas more economic than heating with hydro. However, taking into account the capital investment of a new furnace, the additional greenhouse gas emissions, and the fact that gas prices are rising faster than hydro, I will happily continue heating my home with electric space heaters for the time being.
Having made that decision, my only gas appliance in the house is now my hot water tank, which is also a horribly inefficient beast with an open chimney and a continuous pilot light. Converting that to electric will not only reduce my water heating costs, but will also allow me to cancel my gas account saving me about $120 per year that the gas company bills regardless of whether I consume any gas. I’ve devised a plan for converting my current tank to an electrically heated one on a timer. Expect that project to be posted soon.
Update 2008/09/20
I converted my gas hot water tank to electric. See how I did it here: Convert your gas hot water tank to electric.
2008-08-13 at 2:13 pm
Any considerations to additional hydro power necessary to support all power requirement from BC residents if everyone were to convert? How does additional dams impact carbon footprint and eco system? These seems to always come up as questions when I’ve discussed this topic with others. Let me know what you come up with. DJ
2008-08-13 at 4:13 pm
I have no hard data to base an opinion on, but it seems probable to me that in terms of just getting a given amount of energy to your home, the mining, refining and distribution of fossil fuels account for much more damage to ecosystems and a much higher carbon footprint than hydro dams and electrical distribution. When power lines break, they don’t leak electricity into the environment
. I say build more dams (if it means a reduction in fossil fuel use). If I’m mistaken, I’d be glad for someone to point it out.
Aside: BC hydro currently has surplus capacity, selling much of it’s electricity across the border to supplement coal fired power plants. A coal fired power plant cannot change it’s output quickly enough to match daily fluctuations in demand the way a hydro plant can. Therefore, during peak hours, they buy electricity from BC hydro. During off-peak hours, BC hydro buys back coal generated electricity from them (at a much lower rate, which they are happy to accept since they have no way of getting rid of the excess power otherwise). So in BC, if you are using power during peak hours, it’s likely hydro generated, and during off-peak hours it’s likely coal generated. Because BC hydro can sell electricity to the states for more money than they can sell it to BC residents, they are actively campaigning for BC residents to reduce their electrical use during peak hours.
2008-09-07 at 9:16 am
Hi Rob, I am reading this excellent work from the UK where non hydro electricity is 3x the price of gas but i can see that the overall efficiency of the gas is around 50% . But for me the clever idea is to use a air/air heat pump when my boiler packs in. These are now up to a cop ratio of over 5 ( ie 1 unit of elec = 5 units of heat ) at 7 deg C outside/ 20 deg C inside and will work down to the likes of -15 C. The cost is a fraction of a boiler and a DIY job. Why would anybody fit central heating ? Ken
2008-09-08 at 12:07 am
Hi Ken,
I agree if you can afford the initial capital expense a heat pump is the best way to go. I live on a river delta where drilling is easy and the water table is only a few feet below the surface so a ground source heat pump makes more sense than an air/air heat pump for me. I believe they achieve even higher COP values than air/air since the ground is warm (relatively speaking) year round. – Rob
2008-09-13 at 5:02 pm
I grew up in an electrically-heated house, with electricity supplied 100% from coal. Our CO2 emissions were probably be about five times that of gas!
If a surplus amount of hydro or wind is available, then electric heat is probably the way to go. If thermal plants are the source, then it is probably undesirable. Nuclear is a possible exception as there aren’t direct CO2 emissions anyways and the plants are so inefficient (both thermodynamically and in terms of fuel burnup) that it doesn’t even really matter.
The only “bad” thing about electric heat is that is destroys energy quality. It is like grinding up steak in order to make hamburger. Electricity is a very useful form of energy, using it for such rudimentary tasks as space heating is probably undesirable if it is coming from thermal power plants that are only 33% efficient.
In the places where thermal plants provide electricity, it would be nice to have a district heating network to utilize the waste heat from electricity production for space heating. This is done in Denmark and a few other areas of Europe, and the use of electricity for heat is highly discouraged in places where a district heating connection is available.
2008-10-23 at 12:50 pm
I live in Mississauga Canada, 2 years ago I singed up for a price protection plan for my natural gas, big mistake. I am paying almost 3 times the amount current natural gas price. I can’t get out of the contract until it is over. So I decided to heat my home with electric. I only use two space heaters and let the sun shine into the home and it’s all good.
2008-11-13 at 1:47 pm
I am trying to figure out where can I find information on different electric heating system,
we have a wood sotve in the basement that I use yearly but getting tired of the hard work.
I pay 250$ a bush cord, I need three a year also we have a gaz stove in the livingroom.
I find gaz and oil have gone up more than electricity, so I am looking for different company in elctric heat but donèt know how to find them.
Can you help me
2008-11-28 at 7:52 pm
BC imports about 15-20% of it’s electrical needs and is increasing its need faster than supply, but has vast reserves of easily accessible natural gas in the basin.
The inefficiency of the electrical plants and damaging footprint I feel put us in an awkward situation on options.
I too look forward to more clean mega projects, be it solar, hydro, wind, wave, or geo.
Good writeup but for me in New West, my gas setup seems a cleaner option considering our current souces of electricity overall – I may be wrong, I am no expert by any stretch
2008-11-30 at 3:14 pm
I believe the CARMA website given in the article above shows actual carbon emissions for different power plants, taking into account where they import their power from. Considering only carbon emissions and ignoring other forms of damage to the environment, in BC, electricity is most certainly a cleaner choice than natural gas. That statement is based on data from the CARMA website. I suspect electricity in BC is less damaging to the environment in other ways as well, but I don’t have the data.
2008-11-30 at 3:25 pm
Also, as noted in one of my earlier comments, BC hydro has surplus capacity. They don’t need to import electricity to meet BC demand. They do so only because it’s more profitable. They export power during peak hours (meeting all of BC’s demand and then some). They import power during off-peak hours when demand is low. This is because coal fired plants in the states can’t adjust their output fast enough to meet daily fluctuations in their demand, so they are willing to buy power from BC Hydro at a premium during peak hours and sell power back to BC hydro at a discount during off-peak hours. That way they only need to product a constant power output themselves. BC hydro loves this relationship since they can “buy low and sell high”, making more money per kWh than they do selling electricity to BC residents.
2008-12-02 at 6:16 pm
I have been using natural gas for my home for the past month. I do have central heat in my home to. I’m not sure yet which will be a higher cost, electricity or natural gas? I live in Tennessee and I have heard different stories about what to use. I need help! Which one will save me money, electricity or natural gas? HELP!!!
2008-12-03 at 12:45 am
Hi Casandra,
See my other post http://www.iwilltry.org/b/projects/make-the-switch-to-electric-space-heating/ for information on how to determine which method of heating will be least expensive. Good luck.
2008-12-03 at 10:46 pm
Seldomly ducting are install in cold space such as attics, and they are insulated (required by building & plumbing code) if ducts are to be install in unheated space. Ducts in crawlspace can be insulated, but isn’t necessary because crawlspace needed to be heated (building code) to prevent moisture/mold. And, heat rises therefore the energy will be contribute to the building heating.
Many high efficient condensing furnace are rated at 95-97% efficiency.
Furnace rebate grants from the federal & BC government can be up to $1630.00 for 95% efficiency or better.
The grants can be up to $10,000
http://www.homeperformance.com/bc-furnace-rebate-grants-for-new-oil-gas-furnaces
Geothermal is a good alternative, but the initial cost is quite prohibited. However, it could be a good alternative in new construction if the soil or large body of water nearby is favorable
Converting from gas heating to electric baseboard heaters isn’t exactly cheap as you have calculated, because the power service may need to be increase, meter, service panel, new wirings to accommodate baseboard heaters.
IMHO, the best upgrade cost would be air source heat pumps because the average cost is about $2000-$4000 more than electric baseboard conversion thanks to the $1,850 rebate. Air source heat pumps energy usage is around 50% of electric baseboard heaters.
And, a swap for a high efficiency condensing furnace is the next best option if you are concern with the environment and an energy miser.
2008-12-03 at 11:01 pm
Add,
Your Gas vs. Electric heating comparison is not a fair comparison.
A fair comparison would factor in the cost of new constructions verses conversion/upgrade of all heating methods. Gas/electric price fluctuation/graphs, maintenance, up time a viability, and total cost of ownership over the lifespan of the appliance.
2008-12-03 at 11:39 pm
Hi Plumber,
I thought it was reasonably clear in the article, but the purpose of my comparison was to evaluate only two specific options: continuing to heating my home with my current gas forced air system (no construction/upgrade required… it’s already installed) vs switching to electric space heaters (no construction/upgrade required… they just plug into the wall). Given that the savings in the first year alone were more than the cost of the space heaters (about $230), calculating total cost of ownership over the lifespan of the appliance seemed unnecessary.
I’m not by any means saying that heating with electricity is always cheaper than heating with gas. Nor am I saying that heating with electric space heaters is the best overall option for me. There are other options such as a higher efficiency gas furnace or a heat pump that would be cheaper in the long run. But those are bigger decisions for another day (if you are renting, they may be decisions you don’t have the authority to make). This article is concerned with a simpler decision: to buy a set of electric space heaters or continue to heat with the current inefficient gas furnace. For me it was a no brainer. Electric space heaters are cheaper and have a smaller carbon footprint than my current gas furnace.
As a final comment, I would like to illustrate more clearly how heating crawl-spaces wastes heat even though that heat rises as you pointed out. There is a 3ft crawlspace under the first floor of my home. Its outside walls are insulated just like the rest of the home, but its floor is a concrete slab in direct thermal contact with the earth below. All the heating ducts for the first floor run through this crawlspace. The return ventilation to the furnace vents directly into this crawlspace (no return ducts). When the forced air system is running, the crawlspace is warmer than the living space above it. The crawlspace dissipates heat through its outside walls and also into the concrete slab. Using electric space heaters on the first floor instead of forced air, the crawlspace is about 5 degrees C cooler than the living space above it during the winter months. This is not cool enough to cause condensation or mold (I check regularly) but it reduces the heat dissipated into the slab and through the outside walls significantly. For this reason, even a 100% efficient forced air furnace could not heat my home as efficiently as electric space heaters.
2009-03-01 at 9:29 am
We are in the beginning stages of renovating several rooms in our two story house (Ontario, near Lake Ontario)… presently heating with forced air electric (installed with house built in 1985)… we are now being pushed to convert to gas as we are being told that we will able to pay back the cost of the switch to gas within two years, saving as much as $400/mnth during the winter months off our bills… we have an electric water heater as well… our water pressure at certain taps is not good while others are adequate+… which had lead us to look into the Ipex Aqua water distribution system (which apparently recently is no longer being manufactured) this tankless hot water method was intrigiung and seemed to be more efficient than our present system)… we have a fireplace insert (non-efficient 1980’s Odette)… and would like to install another fireplace in the bedroom/bathroom reno once we get that underway…
so… I am getting all sorts of reports for and against gas vs electric and like usual cannot determine which is the way to go!… I thought allergy wise the electric heating was better than gas? dunno
any thoughts?
2009-03-04 at 11:37 pm
Hi Dan,
If you can afford the capital investment, a high efficiency gas furnace will likely save you money over its lifetime. I don’t know about $400/month, but that’s possible depending on the energy requirements on your home. For comparison, I have a 2600 ft^2 two story home and my energy bills peak at about $200/month in Jan/Feb (all electric heat at around $0.07 kWh) when the outside temperature averages about 18°C below that inside.
If total cost over the lifetime of the system were your only concern gas would be the way to go. As for other factors like allergies, carbon footprint, etc, you’ll have to decide for yourself what’s important to you.
2009-03-19 at 3:25 pm
I am considering switching to electric baseboard heating from gas furnace too and found your comparison very helpful! However, I have heard some disadvantages with electric heating.
Some people say that houses with electric heating are lack of air circulation, resulting high humidity in the house. Have you had any concerns with it? Have you observed any condesation or molds problems?
Some people say that it is better to keep a constant indoor temperature in the house for electric heating because it takes longer to heat up. With forced air system people usually lower the temperature when leaving for work. Was your comparison done with a constant temperature or programmed?
Last question, are you using 110v heater or 220v? I am thinking of upgrading my panel and wiring in my house to support 220v electric baseboards. This will be a renovation cost. However, it is ok if I can get a quieter, cleaner and maintenance-free heating system.
Thanks in advance for your time!
2009-03-20 at 2:03 pm
Hi Ken,
The amount of water in the air won’t change whether you use electric or gas. Humidity is therefore only affected by temperature. The colder the air, the higher the humidity. If the air gets cold enough, the humidity will reach 100% (the dewpoint) and the water will condense. It is not reduced circulation that causes condensation, but uneven heating. For example if you place all your electric heaters away from outside walls and windows there will be a strong temperature gradient, with outside walls/windows being much colder, and there is danger of condensation. If you place your electric heaters intelligently to produce an even temperature throughout your home, you won’t have any problems.
I agree with keeping a constant indoor temperature for electric heating. I experimented with timers on some heaters, but the power requirements are much higher for this to be effective. For example, if you need 5-6 kW continuous power output on a cold day in winter, you would need 10-12 kW of power output if you want to turn the heaters off for half the day. For a properly insulated and weatherproofed home, the savings by setting back your thermostat for some period of the day are almost negligible. The thermal mass inside a home (walls, furnture, etc) stores heat and releases it slowly when you turn off your furnace. So the temperature should not drop significantly during the 8-10 hours you might be at work. It just makes more work for the heaters when you turn them back on to pump all that heat back into the walls and furniture.
I was using 110V heaters. I used many relatively small ones (about 750W ea) for even temperature distribution and to avoid drawing too much current from any one circuit. I have another article where I talk more about my actual setup: http://www.iwilltry.org/b/projects/make-the-switch-to-electric-space-heating/
2009-04-05 at 5:05 am
I live in Vancouver, B.C., close to you. With the new 2 tier electrical rate and the planned electrical rate increases in the near future, would you still go with electric over gas?
2009-04-06 at 3:37 pm
Hi Dave,
Even at BC Hydro’s old rates an analysis based on lifetime cost alone would favor installation of a high efficiency gas furnace. But there are other considerations besides lifetime cost, namely capital cost, payback period, and environmental impact.
With BC Hydro’s new scheme, electric heating is still cheaper for me than my old gas furnace, so I will continue to heat with electricity while considering other options. I likely won’t move back to gas due to environmental concerns. But I am considering a heat pump, and I will continue to invest in reducing energy consumption through better insulation, weatherproofing, solar projects, etc.
2009-04-13 at 12:01 pm
Hi Steve,
Thanks for posting your experience. I find this kind of sharing of information very useful…
I’m looking into something similar. I live in the Puget Sound area and have been remodeling my house by finishing my basement. This will add nearly 900 sqft to my house, and I had been planning on replacing my 25-year-old natural gas furnace to accommodate the extra air volume and to get better efficiency.
However, looking at natural gas rate increases over the last several years compared to my electricity rate increases, it seems that natural gas is becoming less cost effective.
So, over the past week, I’ve started investigating electric heat particularly in terms of cost of heat and cost of installation. I started thinking maybe I could try using several space heaters to supplement my gas furnace. But my search has been leading me to think a better option may be to get a heat pump (air, rather than geothermal for installation cost reasons).
It seems from my initial research, that with our reasonably mild winters, my older gas furnace would only be used maybe two months out of the year (the break even point seems to be when the outdoor temp gets to just above freezing, 2-5 degrees C). The rest of the year it seems I could easily get by with just a heat pump and it would cost less than natural gas.
You mention that you have been looking into a heat pump, I was curious what you might have found in your research.
Thanks again for your post.
2009-04-15 at 11:01 pm
Hi Kevin, unfortunately, I haven’t done much research into heat pumps at this point… too distracted with other projects.
2009-05-13 at 7:31 am
Hi Rob, I live in Kimberley, BC and am presently doing a major reno/rebuild of our existing house. I am also challenged with trying to determine the best long term solution for heating our house. We have instaled radiant infloor heat on all levels and also have a masonry wood heater. Due to large fir trees on the south side of our house in our neighbours yard we do not receive enough southeren sun to consider solar hot water. My plumber and I cannot decide if its better to go with an on demand boiler, electric verses gas on a stand alone boiler which would be gas. I had not considered the heat pumb option but am now wondering if this is something I should be considering? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
2009-05-18 at 12:35 am
Hi Mike,
I wish I had some insight that could make your decision easier, but there will be a lot that depends on the specific details of your home. On-demand is preferable, but costs can vary significantly depending on the home (gas ones usually need to be located on an outside wall, and electric ones could require upgrading your main panel and may require a preheating tank). My preference for water heating is a very well insulated (ie around 1ft of insulation) electric stand-alone tank. This is relatively cheap and if you add enough insulation, it approaches on-demand efficiency. You can use regular fiberglass building insulation around the tank.
2009-06-13 at 8:40 pm
Hi,
I live in quebec and am converting my duplex to a two story house. I am completely gutting the place and have a chance to change from my electric baseboard heaters and electric stove to natural gas. I am confused about how expensive this will be and want to make the right choice for the environment as well. The winters are extremely cold here, and I cook a lot and have always thought a gas stove would be more efficient…..Any advice?
2009-06-14 at 2:04 pm
There is a lot of chat about electricity vs natural gas. One point I will raise: You are assuming that BC Hydro’s electricity is coming from their hydro facilities 24/7. That is incorrect. There are periods of the day (or night) where is it less expensive (read profitable) for BC Hydro to buy electricity from either the States or Alberta (Wholesale Markets). BC Hydro exports large amounts of electricity to AB during the day when prices are high and BC Hydro buys electricity from AB when it is cheap (at night). One point to remember. Cheap electricity means coal-fired generators running 24/7.
2009-06-15 at 12:21 pm
Hi Doug. I didn’t make that assumption. My understanding is that the Karma data on power company CO2 emissions is based on all the power sold by a particular power company (regardless of whether they produced or imported it). If that’s not correct, let me know. Current data on BC Hydro from http://carma.org/company/detail/1688 shows less than 6% of the power they sell is generated from fossil fuels, the rest being hydro.
I’m well aware that BC Hydro buys/sells power from/to other power companies. My understanding is that mostly they export power to the US. They export power during our peak demand (ie they have enough capacity to meet all BC’s needs and then some) and import during minimal demand. A hydro plant can change it’s output almost instantaneously to meet changing daily demand. A coal fired plant can’t, so coal fired plants in the states run at a relatively continuous output, buy extra power from BC Hydro during peak demand and sell their excess power back to BC hydro during minimal demand.
Actually, cheap electricity usually means Hydro. Producing power from coal costs more.
2009-06-15 at 2:19 pm
Hi Amy,
The amount of energy you consume for cooking will be negligible compared to what you consume for home heating, so I suggest you base your decision on home heating alone. From a cost standpoint, a high efficiency (90% and up) natural gas furnace will almost certainly be cheaper than straight electric. From an environmental standpoint, electricity is probably better if it is hydro generated. A heat pump is an even better solution. Its capital cost is the highest, but the operating cost and CO2 emissions are the lowest. You should be able to determine the exact costs for all these options for your particular house in your particular region. I can only generalize.
My best advice, since you are completely gutting the place anyway, is to ensure that the building envelope is well sealed and to design for the lifetime of the home. Most builders only design for around a 10 year payback when they insulate (ie the cost of insulating will be paid back in energy savings over the first 10 years). But most homes exist for much longer than 10 years. If you design for a 25 or 50 year payback, you will end up spending a lot more up front on insulation, and paying a lot less over the years on home heating.
2009-08-29 at 2:26 pm
Hi Rob,
Thank you very much for your research and for publishing your findings here.
We moved into a house in Abbotsford 3 years ago that had a gas fireplace as its sole gas appliance and everything else was electric. When I inquired of Terrassen gas at that point I was told I would need to pay $10/month for a connection fee (for the privilege of being able to actually purchase gas). When I asked Terrassen what it would cost to buy the gas to run the pilot light for my fireplace, they estimated it would probably cost another $10/month (their numbers) So I found myself in the situation where I would have to pay $240/year for the privilege of being able to actually turn on the fireplace. I decided that I would simplify my life, leave the gas disconnected and “fire the gas company” putting the $240/year towards electricity. With 100% of the electricity I purchase becoming useful heat, I don’t have to think about furnace efficiency. Additionally we have the ability with baseboard heaters to control every room individually. So the bedrooms are a little cooler for comfortable sleeping (and since they are empty most of the day) and the living spaces and bathroom are a little warmer.
One of your commenters asked about air circulation and moisture. For $26 from Home Despot I was able to purchase a de-humidistat that controls the bathroom fan (90CFM) and there is another dedicated fan in the main hallway to promote air exchange. Some work with weather trim around doors made the house quite tightly sealed. We have an EnerGuide rating of 71 in a 31 year old house (as measured by thehousewhisperers.ca .
Thanks for your excellent work. I’m encouraged as I read your articles and see that many of the same thoughts I have had are represented in your research and experiments.
I wish you success in all your experiments as I can clearly see you intend these experiments to benefit those around you.
Greg
2009-11-18 at 6:21 pm
I’m building a new duplex, sidexside, total 2970 sf on 3 levels, each unit with it’s own systems. I am wondering what to put in, gas furnace in the 4′ crawlspace to main level only, and electric bboards on 2 and 3rd floors, or bboards throughout. I am intrigued by your experiment, and see that electric is more efficient and cheaper to install, and each room is controllable.
Some say gas will become more $ in the future here in BC, I don’t know.
I’m a fit 63 and will probably live here til I can’t manage the stairs! 10 years, I guess, so I”m not looking for something that will ‘pay off’ over 20 or 30 years.
Heat pump on this tiny 33 lot doesn’t leave much room. Don’t like the noise or expense of the installation either.
Many thanks in advance for any thoughts you have…..
Syd
2009-11-24 at 10:40 am
Hi syd,
Looking at the economics over the first 10 years alone, electric may seem the best choice due to reduced installation cost. However, over the lifetime of the heating system, a high efficiency gas furnace or heat pump would almost certainly be more economical. My personal feeling is that builders have a moral obligation to design for the lifetime of the home, regardless of how long they expect to live there themselves and regardless of what the building code says is the minimum requirement. When it comes to new construction, the most important consideration is not the heating system but the insulation and sealing. Unlike the question of how to provide the heat, the question of how much insulation to use (effectively how thick to make the walls) is a decision that must be made up front. “Minimum recommended R-values”, according to my calculations, are generally based on a payback period of about 20 years. The lifetime of the insulation is effectively the lifetime of the home, which could easily be 40 years, in which case it will cost you less over the lifetime of the home if you double the recommended R-values.
2010-01-11 at 11:42 am
Hi Rob,
If you are worrying about CO2 emission you have to calculate how much CO2 produced during production and delivering per kWh to your house otherwise it’s useless
2010-01-16 at 11:22 pm
Hi Val,
I agree the carbon footprint of natural gas is more than just that from burning it. I’m not sure how I would go about calculating the amount of CO2 produced from it’s production and distribution, but in my case it is a moot point since the CO2 produced from burning alone is already significantly more than that produced from the use of hydro generated electricity. Thanks for the comment.
2010-03-02 at 5:05 pm
Hi Rob,
I live in Vancouver and have been using electric fan heaters since the price of natural gas escalated in the early 2000’s. The 35 year old split level house is a with 1100 sq ft on the lower floors & 650 upstairs bedroom. I have mainly one heater at the bottom of the stairs to the upper floor set at the 800 watts. Last 2 months Hydro bill was quite high 4709 kW.h = $392.00. I did a comparison of Hydro usage charge $0.08270 kW.h (over the 1376 base kW.h) and Terasen gas$4.953 per GJ = $0.01782 kW.h. The difference is $0.065 kW.h. I’m back on gas now.
I’ve been planning to build a new house soon and was looking at heat pumps, but the large capital cost and ~5-7 years payback period, has me thinking gas furnance and upper floor electric heating/AC. Put the money saved into better insulation or if the gas price increase add on a heat pump later. Thanks for the report.
Ming