Natural gas?

[Sigarms]

We're downsizing house and property after being here for over 20 years.

New home is still rural, but closer to larger town and a lot more homes on the road to what I've been used to.

Wife noticed a gas line on the new road, so I called the local natural gas company. Turns out if I convert the heating system to gas, they would hook up a gas line to the home at no charge. HVAC needs to be replaced, and I'd have no qualms going with a dual fuel system with gas furnace and heat pump.

Big plus to my wife is this home is a total renovation (built in 1962 and still looks it) so new kitchen and she's liking the idea of a natural gas stove for cooking.

I'm 60, and I don't think neither my wife and I have ever lived in a home using natural gas. Current home is propane, and only use it for one gas furnace in the attic and a tankless water heater and a vent free fireplace we rarely use. New home has electric water heater and a oil furnace that is coming out no matter what.

Although I hate LP pricing, do love our tankless water heater and honestly don't care for the fact that this new home is 100% electric except for that oil furnace. Since the house is going to get new electrical and plumbing, at this point, don't really see a issue with running a gas line in the "new" home. New home single story with unfinished basement which I'm liking because you can see everything in the basement.

So the dumb question is there any reason why not to use natural gas if it's available?

 

[Rockbadchild]

I don't know how expensive Natural gas is or electricity for you but for us the cheapest you can have is natural gas and its such of a peace of mind, I don't think there's any downside. I would run everything you can on natural gas, furnace, hot water, BBQ grill, stove you name it I would run it. I have a fireplace that even run without electricity.

 

[Carl_NH]

Concur with Rockbad - no downside; the fireplaces are nice, and the new inserts put out a lot of heat!

 

[RjCorazza]

We switched one hvac zone from all electric heat pump to electric with natural gas "emergency" heat that kicks on at 40 degrees f.
We also swapped out the old electric stove with gas, which the wife and daughter really enjoyed.
Heating with natural gas also made it possible to keep the house heated with no power and my (then) 7kw generator,

 

[bdhsfz6]

This may or may not be an issue where you live but my folks converted their retirement home to natural gas in the 1990's. The gas company ran the line for free and they did save money over their previous all electric home.

The first winter, the gas pressure would drop when the temperature dropped into the teens and their gas furnace wouldn't put out enough heat. It turned out the gas mains were sized too small for the community they served. Many customers complained but the gas company did nothing. My folks had to supplement the gas heat with portable electric heaters on cold days.

It might be a good idea to talk to the neighbors to see if this is an issue where you are.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

We brought natural gas into our house during our addition/reno last summer. It was available at the street and they brought it in for free, so why not? We put in an on demand gas water heater and were planning on going gas stove but switched to induction stove at the 11th hour. I see no disadvantage to doing it, especially if it is free and you want to do on demand water heater.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I would pay to get natural gas at my property... even a gas hot water tank is a lot better then a electric one.

 

[Sigarms]

This may or may not be an issue where you live but my folks converted their retirement home to natural gas in the 1990's. The gas company ran the line for free and they did save money over their previous all electric home.

The first winter, the gas pressure would drop when the temperature dropped into the teens and their gas furnace wouldn't put out enough heat. It turned out the gas mains were sized too small for the community they served. Many customers complained but the gas company did nothing. My folks had to supplement the gas heat with portable electric heaters on cold days.

It might be a good idea to talk to the neighbors to see if this is an issue where you are.

Thanks, would never have thought of that.

That said, average January temp in the town (coldest month in the area) is perhaps low 30's (having lived in Schuylkill and Crawford counties in Pa, I can personally attest to the fact that it's colder in Pa in the winter time ).

Besides that, heat pump I'd put in would handle it down to about 10F no problem. I'd just throw the gas furnace on so I could get a free hookup (most gas consumption would be stove and possibly a tankless water heater).

 

[4570Man]

Natural gas probably cost half what electric does for heating. Natural gas also doesn’t go out all the time like electric does.

 

[BackRoad]

We built new, and happy with natural gas for almost everything, though my wife wanted an electric clothes dryer. No reason other than concern that gas flames and dryer lint didn't mix together well.

Also went with a dual source range, gas for stove top cooking and an electric oven. Something about wanting the electric for the self cleaning oven function and more stable temps when baking.

I've learned to pick the battles wisely and this made no difference to me. The inside implements are an area wives likely care more about than husbands...