Compare Gas and Electricity for Heating

When you compare gas and electricity for heating, you must consider several factors, including the type of gas or electric heating to which you are referring. As it turns out, there is no one type of gas heating, nor is there one type of electric heating. Comparing the pros and cons of different types of gas and electric heating systems helps you make the best choice for your home and your budget.

Electric Heat Pumps

If you live in a moderate climate, an electric heat pump may be a viable option. When you compare gas and electricity for heating, the cost of operating an electric heat pump compares favorably to the cost of a heating system that uses natural gas. Electric heat pumps work on the same principle as refrigerators do: they move air rather than generating heat. To heat your home, heat pumps move heat into your home; to cool your home, heat pumps move cool air into your home. You can also use heat pumps in combination with a central electric heating system, thereby reducing the amount of electricity necessary to keep your home warm by thirty to forty percent, which can translate to a dramatic reduction in your overall electricity bill.

Electric Heating Systems

Only a minority of homes in the United States rely on electric heating systems, mainly because of the cost. Electric heating is nearly always more expensive than heating generated from combustion sources, because of the process by which electric heat is generated. The energy to produce the electricity for electric heating systems is generated by other sources, namely coal gas or fuel oil generators. These generators convert the power they produce into electricity, which is a very inefficient process that results in only about thirty percent of the energy from the fuel source being converted into electricity. This conversion process is necessary whether you opt for central electric heat or electric heating units for smaller spaces.

There are two types of central electric hating systems: radiation heaters and convection heaters. Radiation heaters contain a heating element packaged inside a glass envelope. The heating element emits infrared heat as it reaches higher and higher temperatures, with a reflector that directs heat away from the heater throughout your rooms.  Convection heaters provide heat by generating a current of hot air that is dissipated throughout the room. Some convection heaters operate by heating oil enclosed within the unit. Unlike conventional oil heating, the oil inside an oil filled electric heater does not undergo a combustion process. As a result, the oil inside an oil filled electric heater does not give off fumes and does not need to be replaced.


Resistance heating systems are designed to heat small spaces such as single rooms. Electric baseboard heaters are a type of resistance heating. Resistance heating is a more efficient system of electric heating than electric convection or radiation systems, because nearly one hundred percent of the electricity used is converted to heat.

Propane and Natural Gas Heating Systems

When you compare gas and electricity for heating, you must make the distinction between natural gas and propane gas. Natural gas is made up mostly of methane, although other gases can be included in the mix. Propane, on the other hand is actually a petroleum product, produced in the same refining process that produces gasoline. Both propane and natural gas are easily incorporated into forced air heating systems that many American homes rely on to stay warm during colder months.

Where it is available, natural gas is the heating source of choice for many utility systems. Natural gas is an inexpensive heating source, and burns more cleanly than other forms of fossil fuel. However, natural gas is not available in many areas, especially in rural areas that are located far from utility grids. Even in areas where natural gas is available, the initial cost involved to connect your home to the natural gas grid can be prohibitive.

On the other hand, many homes in rural areas where natural gas is not available have pressurized storage tanks in which propane gas can be stored. Propane can also be used in boiler systems. Overall, propane is a more expensive heating source than natural gas, but still less expensive than electric heat.

Sam Jones the author suggests to readers wishing to compare energy prices to visit the price comparison website uSwitch.