Families all over Idyllwild and the surrounding regions are slowly but surely approaching the time of the year when heating their home becomes the number one priority. Since November has already creeped up on us, some residences may already be using their heating systems to combat the dropping temperatures at night. Choosing between a gas and electric furnace is an important decision. Depending on your space, the decision may not come as easy as one might think.

Elmore HVAC is the heating and A/C expert helping you eradicate all of the troubles you might be facing while owning an HVAC unit. Working out of San Jacinto, CA, our company has been servicing and installing units in Idyllwild, Pine Cove, Mountain Center, and surrounding area for many years. Our mission is to keep educating homeowners about the advantages of modern HVAC solutions. Call Elmore HVAC at 951-345-0573 now if you need a suggestion about which type of furnace will fit all of your needs!

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Which Heating Unit is Best For Your Needs?

When temperatures start to drop, keeping warm is a top priority. Even though winter time in California can be pretty mild as opposed to other parts of the US, our region has a completely different experience, where the nights are extremely cold, yet the days stay warm. Many of us stay warm through the night with help from our trusted furnaces.

While there are newer ways of heating up your house, electric and gas furnaces still are some of the most proven and used methods around. Owning one of these two options has many benefits but also a few drawbacks. We’re going to go over some of the most obvious reasons why each of these choices should be a choice for you and your family.

Pros of Gas Furnaces:

• Fuel costs are lower
• Higher heat efficiency
• Can last up to 20 years
• More suitable for colder areas

Cons of a Gas Furnace:

• More expensive upfront 
• More complicated to install
• Safety concerns
• Regular maintenance is required
  

Pros of Electric Furnaces:

• Cheaper upfront cost
• A lot easier to install
• A lot safer than gas furnace
• Can last up to 30 years
• More suitable for warmer areas

Cons of Electric Furnaces:

• More expensive in the long run - higher bills
• Less heat efficiency
  

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The Cost of a Gas or Electric Furnace

It’s not easy to get a clear look at which type of furnace is the winner here since we have to look at a few aspects before deciding which one is the right choice. We can give out some estimates but price ranges usually reflect differences in labor rates, makes and models, quality, and efficiency. As the efficiency of the unit gets higher, so does the price.

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Buying and Installing a New Furnace 

Gas furnaces are much more common today than before. It’s mostly due to gas furnaces being a cheaper household heating option. Although gas furnaces have lower costs in the end, they tend to be more expensive upfront. Why is that? Well, the installation process for gas furnaces is a bit more complicated than for the electric furnaces. Gas furnaces require gas lines in the vicinity. If your house doesn’t have a gas line, running the line to the house is going to end up being another expense. Another thing to consider would be the safety factor of dealing with natural gas. If you hire the right crew for the job, you can be sure they’ll prevent any future mishaps like the leakage of carbon monoxide. Seasoned HVAC professionals will make sure your system is ready to go and is safe for use.

Electric furnaces on the other hand are cheaper upfront and are generally easier to install and maintain. However, the cost of running one is much more expensive than gas furnaces.  When you’re considering buying an electric furnace, add in the cost of installation by the professionals. High voltage is required for the electric furnace to function and HVAC experts have all the right tools to manage that job. All in all, electric furnaces are cheaper upfront and much easier to install and maintain.

The Heat Efficiency of Gas and Electric Furnaces

We have to chalk this one up to the gas furnaces from the get go but there’s a catch we have to further explain.

An electric furnace is the more efficient of the two on paper. It’s more efficient in a sense that it turns energy more efficiently into heat. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean your house will be heated more quickly. That’s an important distinction to make and to consider when opting for one of these choices. This means that an electric furnace is usually more suitable for warmer areas as opposed to colder ones with extreme winters.
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Gas furnaces heat the home faster because the heat that is produced is much hotter than the heat produced by the electric furnace. Add into the equation the cheapness of natural gas and you have a clear winner here if you live in colder areas. Energy bills usually are a deciding factor for most of the things we acquire during our lifetime. It’s only natural that we add a few points to gas furnaces just because of that fact.

The Safety of Gas and Electric Furnaces

Gas furnaces need to be maintained at all times by an HVAC expert. Hire Elmore HVAC to regularly maintain your gas furnace and to essentially protect you and yours while prolonging the lifespan of the unit. Our dedicated HVAC technicians will inspect and clean the furnace every year and thus keep the unit in a proper condition.

Risk of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon monoxide is the silent killer in today’s world. Most of us don’t even realize but we can be affected by it daily, and it can cause major accidents if not properly cared for. Hire only the right people to greatly reduce the risk of a carbon monoxide leak inside of your house. Hire Elmore HVAC today and you’ll be able to sleep tight tonight!

The Lifespan of Gas and Electric Furnaces

Both gas and electric furnaces will work for a longer period of time if properly maintained. However, an electric furnace tends to last longer than gas furnaces. Usually, we are talking about 30 years of usage as opposed to 20 years of usage with gas furnaces. Beware, both of these numbers include a system that functions to its full capabilities. This kind of system is regularly cleaned, inspected, and serviced. 

Electric VS Gas Furnace -- Pros and Cons of Each

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When we place it all on the paper, there’s no clear winner. When we are talking about HVAC units, we are usually talking about personal preferences and which unit fits your personal needs best. At the end of the day, we’re here to go over any option and question you might have, and help you decide which one suits you better. Connect with our team today to schedule a consultation for a new heating system for your home or business.

If you have any other questions, contact Elmore HVAC now! We’re at your disposal for any question in regards to the HVAC industry. Whether you need a recommendation, our maintenance service or a quick repair, we are here for you.  Our mission is to keep educating homeowners about the advantages of modern HVAC solutions. Call Elmore HVAC now if you need a suggestion about which type of furnace will fit all of your needs!

Call Elmore HVAC at 951-345-0573 and see why we are the Idyllwild’s number one HVAC company!