Should I Switch From Gas Heat to Electricity?

Why Homeowners Look at Electric Heat

Rising gas rates push many homeowners to look for an alternative. Heating costs have jumped over recent winters, and a single season of higher bills is enough to make people reconsider their fuel source. The two most common electric options are a straight electric furnace and a heat pump. Each has a place, so the right answer is yes and no depending on your situation.

Heat Pump or Electric Furnace?

A heat pump is much more efficient than straight electric heat and usually costs less to operate. Because a heat pump is also an air conditioner, the cost to buy it is higher if you only need heating. An electric furnace heats only, but it leaves you about halfway to central air conditioning. The furnace and ductwork are already in place, so you can add the right outdoor heat pump section later for a complete heating and cooling system.

What Electric Heat Costs to Run

Straight electric heat is the least efficient option when your utility rates are near the national average. Many homeowners pay somewhere between nine and twelve cents per kilowatt-hour. To estimate cost per hour, multiply the element size in kilowatts by your rate. Your exact rate is printed on your utility bill.

In areas with low rates, sometimes as low as three and a half cents per kilowatt-hour, the same elements cost far less, around thirty-five cents and about fifty-two cents per hour. So your local rate matters a great deal when you compare options.

How to Decide

Check your kilowatt-hour rate first, then weigh whether you want heating only or heating plus cooling. If you may add air conditioning later, an electric furnace now plus a heat pump section later is a sensible path. If efficiency is your priority and you also want cooling, a heat pump makes the most sense.