Gas vs. Electric Furnaces

Which Heating System Is Best for Your Home?

Is the search for the “perfect” heating solution for your Northern Virginia home starting to feel a bit stressful? If so, that’s no surprise. There are tons of options in the modern HVAC market, and even finding a furnace can be somewhat of a nightmare if you’re doing it alone. But the experts at John Nugent & Sons are here today to tell you you’re never alone when it comes to HVAC. Not as long as we’re here!

If you’re having trouble deciding between a gas or electric furnace for your McLean home, we’ve got the answers you’re looking for. And when you’ve found the right option for you, we can even help out even further with our top-tier installation services.

Need furnace installation in Northern Virginia? Work with the best by contacting John Nugent & Sons online today!

Gas vs. Electric: Narrowing Things Down

First off, an important point. As we mentioned recently in our “Boiler vs Furnace” blog post, there really is no better system per se. It comes down to fitting the benefits of the unit to your needs. Finding the perfect furnace is all about suiting your needs above all else.

And as with before, information is the true key. Find all of the right answers, and you’ve found the right furnace type! And when it comes to in-depth info on HVAC systems, our certified team can clue you in on all you need to know.

Talking Cost

One of the biggest factors, of course, is the cost of operating your heating system. Both gas and electric furnace systems offer very solid efficiency, but they differ in cost specifics in some small regards.

Electric furnaces are generally one of the most cost-effective systems when you’re talking about fresh installation. However, depending on local gas prices, electric heat might cost slightly more to operate in the long run.

Gas furnaces tend to be slightly more expensive to install, but offer exceptional fuel efficiency, producing more BTUs per unit of fuel consumed versus a standard furnace system. Though a high-efficiency electric furnace may pull ahead if gas is costly where you live.

Talking Comfort

To be a good choice, your furnace certainly must provide you with the level of comfort you want! Between gas and electric furnaces, modern options have muddled things a little bit. High-efficiency electric furnaces compete very well versus gas in sheer comfort. However, HE furnace systems are a bit more costly, so you might argue that a gas furnace will produce more heat baseline, though this really would only be a factor for very large or high occupancy homes.

Ease of Function

An important detail to note is that a gas furnace may require you to understand how to operate a pilot light (though many modern gas furnaces use automatic igniter systems). Additionally, electric furnaces tend to outlast gas furnaces.

Essentially the discussion comes down to which option a) fits your price range, and b) suits your needs best. For larger homes, gas might have that little bit of oomph you’re looking for, while electric furnaces are generally more stable and easier to own.

Looking for the answer that fits you best? Our experts can help! Contact John Nugent & Sons today to speak with one of our certified HVAC professionals!