During the cold winter months, everyone huddles up to keep warm. Depending on where in the world you find yourself, you may need some extra heat to remain toasty. So let’s talk about the differences between an Electric vs Gas Heater.
Electric vs Gas Heater
Countries with cold winters where you most likely would find snow may have fireplaces and heaters installed throughout the home to ensure that the temperature is at a comfortable level. People choose different heating solutions based on the type of house and the area they would like to heat while considering their budget.
If your home doesn’t have a heater installed, purchasing one should be on top of the priority list, but how do you make the right choice? Here’s some information on heating with electricity vs gas to help you make a sound decision.
Benefits of a Gas Heater
There are two types of gas heaters that homeowners can consider. The first option, a gas-fueled fireplace, is stationary and requires a chimney. The latter type is a more portable option to move from room to room.
Installation of the gas-fueled fireplace could be rather costly, but relatively affordable gas makes it more economical compared to other heating sources. Professionals should check the structure yearly, and you can find a heater unit service company in Boyce, VA, to help you with this task.
The portable nature of the second option would make for a good choice, especially if one were to move the heater to where the heat is needed most. The downside would be that the other home areas would quickly cool down.
One of the benefits of gas heaters would be that they can run even if there is a power failure. If you opt for the portable gas heater, ensure to have the gas bottle refilled regularly to prevent the gas from running out when you least expect it.
Unfortunately, most gas heaters are not adjustable to a specific temperature, even though you could regulate the amount delivered. When turning down the gas, the heat emitted from the fireplace or heater should be less, but setting it to an exact temperature is not always possible.
Gas heaters generally need a well-ventilated area to operate in to avoid gas fumes and carbon dioxide from building up in the room. The fireplace type should have a flue that you could open while in use, but the portable heater would need other forms of ventilation. An open vent or slightly open window for ventilation may cause some heat to escape, meaning that it may not evenly distribute the heat around the room.
Electric Heaters
The electric heaters also come in different models as with the gas heaters. Fan or blowing heaters and radiation-type heaters would be the options to choose from.
Fan or blower heaters are rather convenient as they quickly warm a room when needed. The fan would blow the hot air around the room and be up to 100% efficient. Electricity may be more expensive than other sources like wood for a fireplace. Electric heaters are safer to use around the home.
Radiation-type heaters are probably the safest option for the bedroom as these heaters do not usually have an open element. These are typically filled with water or oil heated to a specific temperature, adjusted.
Adjusting the temperature could make for a more comfortable room. When less heat is needed, the temperature can be turned down. While more heat may be required to warm up the room initially.
Heating With Electricity vs Gas
Electric heaters don’t need ventilation to operate, unlike gas heaters, and could be used in smaller spaces. Radiation options like a panel heater could be put against the wall and provide heat in a smaller room with reasonably low electricity cost.
Maintenance of the electric heaters would be friendly to the budge. As there is no need to employ a professional heat services of an outside contractor like with the gas fireplace. Just ensure that the heater is kept clean, and that should be enough to maintain it year-round.
Decision Time – Electric vs Gas Heater
Looking at all the pros and cons of gas and electrical heaters, it seems as if they are relatively equal. Choosing between the two may come down to the space that would need heating, the size of the budget, and how flexible one would have to be to use the heaters.
Because these variables differ from person to person and home to home, not everyone will benefit from heat sources. When opting for an aesthetically pleasing look, a fireplace-type gas heater or a wall panel heater may be better options considering the other factors in the spaces.