A Nashville Homebuyer’s Dilemma: Gas vs. Electric

Whenever you want to start a “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” controversy, just ask any assembled group of homeowners whether they prefer gas or electric power for their homes.  Who would guess such passion exists about power sources?

In Tennessee, preference over the years has seemed to come down on the side of electric power for heating, cooking, laundry, etc., but that actually could be generational.   Many natives grew up in this area and are predisposed to electric power because of the prevalence of TVA, TVA’s reliance upon hydropower generation, and the proximity to coal, and the area’s historically very reasonable cost of purchasing electricity from the providers.   Before you purchase a home, determine which utilities serve the area in question.  

In recent years, the cost of electricity—like most everything else—has increased, so the argument based upon pricing utility only has become more difficult to resolve.

What we find in our research is that natural gas, where available, tends to save a bit on home heating.  Homeowners also seem to prefer natural gas for water heaters and cooking.  Gas offers instant-on capability in cooking that is difficult for high resistance electric burners to match.  Chefs and professional cooks tend to prefer gas because it is easier to control amounts and duration of heat when cooking specific dishes.

The natural tendency of those unaccustomed to using gas is that it is “dangerous…it might blow up.”  True, it could.  One reads of gas explosions every winter, it seems, but consider the number of gas explosions you read about versus the number of homes you hear about that are consumed by fire because of Christmas trees put too close to electric wall heaters, or the simple act of a homeowner or renter getting combustible material too close to an old-style electric heater.

Common sense doesn’t look for homes that are electric or gas; it just sort of “follows” the owner.

If your home is gas equipped, plan on having the furnace and water heater serviced annually.  Keep the burners clean and have your technicians check the pilot light lines to be sure that the electronic pilot (that’s how the gas is ignited, as opposed to you striking a match and going “woof” in a puff of smoke) is functioning properly.  And, for heaven’s sake, don’t be afraid to look at the burners yourself, occasionally.  The flames you see should be a pretty color of blue---not full of yellow flame.  If they aren’t, call the gas company and let a technician service your equipment.

If your home is all electric, the same rule applies.  Get your major equipment serviced once a year.  The price you pay for a service call will be more than returned in cost savings you can achieve by having your heat pump or even wall heaters operating at maximum efficiency.  Electric water heaters can have thermostats go out---and all you notice is that your shower isn’t hot for quite as long.  Be certain that the service technician checks not only the thermostat, but also the heater elements inside the tank.  When the technician pulls out the heating elements, you will be amazed to recognize what constant immersion and heating does to a coil.

If you are buying a home, pay the additional costs for having a home inspector pay particular attention to your electrical and gas service entrances.  What looks like a check mark on a checklist at your closing will be added peace of mind when something doesn’t smell right around a furnace or water heater---and it’s the middle of the night on a cold, December night.