Hot Topic of the Day: Energy Costs

The writer of this document used to be annoyed with Vectren for not making the benefits of heating with electricity better known. (A heat pump will save the typical homeowner about HALF their heating dollars in this area.) Upon reflection, this is an unfair expectation. Vectren is, as a matter of business orientation and policy, a gas-distribution company. Expecting Vectren to promote electric heating may be as unrealistic as, for example, expecting beef producers to promote the health benefits of eating chicken. On the other hand, Jack Frost has no reason not to be objective in our recommendations. The difficulty of installation and the profit potential of a gas furnace, versus a heat pump installation . . . about the same.

If you are in a position to make a choice of heating with gas versus a heat pump, we recommend the heat pump. If you have an existing gas furnace and a complete changeout is impractical, we recommend converting it to a Hybrid installation, described elsewhere in the Jack Frost site.

Hybrid cars save money by powering the car with electricity or with gas when and as conditions dictate. A Hybrid heating system does this for your home. Which Hybrid would you suppose could save you more money and be better for the environment: a car that you drive an hour a day or so, or your home which you heat or cool 24/7?

Another issue to consider when contemplating electric heat versus gas is the likely fuel price increases associated with a world in rapidly growing competition for energy. While no one can be certain regarding future price increases in the various energy sources available to this nation, we note that electricity is largely produced with domestic coal. Natural gas is produced and shipped from many parts of the world, including some of the most politically unstable areas. The largest foreign gas producers are Iran and Qatar, followed by Algeria, Bahrain, Brazil and Russia.

Gas or electricity: which do you think is likely to increase at the faster rate?