In the US, natural gas accounts for 31% of the nation’s primary energy source. Homes, in particular, use about 17% of the total consumed natural gas in the country. After all, half of the homes in the US rely on natural gas for heating, cooking, and clothes drying.

In South Carolina, one in five households depends on natural gas to heat their homes. A huge percentage of the state’s gas consumption goes toward electricity generation.

The question now is, would it be a good idea to get a gas line installation for your Columbia, SC home? Why would you even want to consider going with natural gas?

This post will let you in on the secrets of investing in a gas pipe installation, so be sure to keep reading!

1. Gas Is the Cleanest Form of Fossil Fuel

In 2018, 80% of the energy used in the US was from fossil fuels. These are the combustible or burnable sources of energy, originating from decomposed matter. They come from deep within the earth, where they slowly accumulate carbon.

After millions of years (some take as much as 650 million years), these deposits become full of carbon. When burned, these carbon-rich fossils generate a huge amount of energy.

Fossil fuel combustion, however, is a major source of carbon dioxide (CO2). Coal alone generates pollutants like nitrogen oxide and particulate matter. In short, they are a big contributor to air pollution.

Natural gas, although still a form of fossil fuel, is the cleanest type. It generates fewer pollutants than other major fuel fossils. For the most part, burning natural gas produces water vapor and CO2, the same stuff that humans exhale.

This should be enough reason for you to consider a natural gas connection for your home.

2. Going All Gas on Appliances Can Drive Your Energy Costs Down

In the long run, natural gas is usually cheaper than electricity, especially in areas where electricity mostly comes from natural gas. In homes with all gas appliances, homeowners save as much as 30% on their utility bills.

A gas-powered clothes dryer, for instance, can be 50% cheaper to run than an electric dryer. Gas dryers also perform a faster, more efficient drying job than electric ones.

3. Gas Is Better for Cooking

A gas line that feeds your range or oven feeds you with better-tasting meals too. That’s because natural gas is much better at maintaining consistent temperatures. The heat created by electric cookware, on the other hand, is prone to fluctuations.

Moreover, gas-powered cooking appliances generate heat instantaneously. Electric ovens usually require a few minutes before they reach the desired temperature. In the long run, all those minutes for “warming up” can have a considerable effect on your utility bills.

Natural gas also provides you with more precise control over the heat. This is vital for efficient and complete cooking. The last thing you want is to end up with food that’s almost burned outside but uncooked inside.

Unfortunately, this is a common problem with non-flame cooking methods. Electric ovens may be okay for baking, but they often result in incomplete cooking.

This can happen when the heat they create fluctuates. This variation can cause the outside of food to burn but the inside to remain uncooked.

Such undercooked foods can also cause infections like Salmonella and E. coli. Salmonella alone lands up to 26,500 people in US hospitals each year. E. coli also causes 265,000 STEC infections every year.

4. Gas-Powered Appliances Are Long-Lasting

Gas furnaces and boilers can last anywhere from 15 to 30 years, whereas water heaters usually have a life span of 8 to 12 years, with some even lasting 20 years! Gas ranges, with an average service life of 15 years, also last longer than electric ranges.

Of course, this would still depend on the brand and the extent of use you subject them to. Proper maintenance and professional servicing can extend the life span of these appliances.

If you do notice signs that your water heater is about to fail, get it inspected ASAP. Do the same for your furnace, boiler, or cooking appliances. It’s possible that repairs or part replacements may still salvage them.

In case you already need to replace your gas appliances, switch them out with an Energy Star model. An Energy Star furnace, for instance, is 15% more energy efficient than other models. Energy Star boilers are also 5% more efficient than non-Energy Star units.

5. Gas Appliances Work Even During Power Outages

Did you know that in 2017 alone, there were 3,500 reported power outages in the US? That puts their frequency at a rate of 10 per day. Worse, as many as 37 million consumers suffered due to these outages!

These power losses also deal a huge blow to the US economy and regular consumers. Experts say that these outages cost the US an estimated $25 to $180 billion every year. For consumers, these blackouts are a major cause of food waste for refrigerated items.

The negative effects of outages are more apparent during winter when we all need to heat our homes. If you rely on an electric furnace and the power goes, you’ll end up having no way to heat your home.

Such outages won’t affect a gas pipe that supplies your boiler or water heater. Even if the power’s out, you can still cook using your gas range or oven.

Plan Your Gas Line Installation Now

There you have it, the juicy secrets of natural gas that you likely weren’t aware of. Now that you know its many benefits, you can decide if a gas line installation is a good choice for your home. While you don’t have to go all gas, you should consider it for your cooking and heating needs.

Interested in learning more about natural gas and how much an installation will cost you? Then please don’t hesitate to connect with us now! We’ll be happy to answer your questions about gas line installations in Columbia, SC.