4 Ways Natural Gas Can Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
Help save on energy costs
According to data from the American Gas Association, households that use natural gas for heating, cooking and clothes drying can save more than $1,100 a year in energy costs. To see how natural gas makes such an impact on energy efficiency, let’s take a closer look at each major system in our homes.
Water heating
Natural gas is the fuel of choice for water heating in millions of American homes, after providing reliable hot water for decades. Natural gas units heat water quickly and are affordable to operate. Plus, ENERGY STAR® certified units are independently tested to use less energy than standard models while still providing the quality performance that homeowners have come to trust.
Tankless natural gas water heaters provide instant hot water on demand, potentially saving energy and water in the process. Want even more energy efficiency than standard units? ENERGY STAR certified natural gas tankless water heaters are an excellent choice.
Space heating
Natural gas furnaces heat up quickly and ENERGY STAR certified natural gas condensing furnaces have efficiencies of up to 97% or more – that’s up to 15% more efficient than standard models.
ENERGY STAR certified natural gas boilers can save about $780 over the lifetime of the product and come with new combustion technologies that extract more heat from the same amount of fuel.
Natural gas heat pumps typically have efficiencies of more than 100%. These units are driven by a gas engine or gas-fueled premixing burner. They transfer heat into or out of the house to provide high-efficiency space heating and cooling.
Cooking
Cooking on a natural gas range can provide energy savings and other attractive benefits:
- Faster heat-up. Homeowners can serve dinner in less time and use the savings for other important family purchases.
- More precise temperature control. An inexperienced cook can become a gourmet chef! It’s easy to sear, grill and simmer food with the immediate temperature control of natural gas.
- Compatible with all types of cookware. Don’t invest in new cookware. Natural gas performs well with nonstick pans, iron skillets, stainless steel pots and copper kettles.
Many states and local areas have kitchen cooktop ventilation standards. Check with code authorities in your area for specific ventilation requirements.
Clothes drying
Natural gas provides instant heat, which can help clothes dry faster. Plus, ENERGY STAR offers more than 150 natural gas certified dryers to choose from at a variety of price points. ENERGY STAR dryers typically use 20% less energy than standard models. Some models are paired with an ENERGY STAR clothes washer for even greater savings.