When installing or replacing a new residential heating system, Portland homeowners have various options. The most popular choices in our service area are forced-air systems and heat pumps. Although their mechanisms differ, many people refer to heating systems as gas or electric furnaces. Pro Heating and Cooling, Inc. customers often ask our technicians about the type of furnace they should get. Specifically, they want to know if gas systems are better than electric. The right answer is not as simple as choosing one over the other because you must consider four heating systems across various factors.
The Four Residential Heating Systems of Portland
Also known as air handlers, forced-air systems can be powered by fuel or electricity. Although their heating mechanisms are different, both rely on ductwork to distribute warm air. Traditionally, Portland residents had forced-air systems in mind when talking about electric and gas furnaces; however, times have changed. While gas furnaces are still known as such, electric heating equipment can be air handlers, heat pumps, or ductless mini-splits.
Forced-air systems have been a standard residential heating method in Portland for decades. Many older homes in our service area were originally built with these systems in mind. For example, Lake Oswego has many custom ranch-style homes from the 1960s, and they invariably feature ductwork and vents you can use for gas and electric furnaces. Please note that heat pumps also need ductwork unless they are ductless mini-split systems.
With the above in mind, three of the four types of heating systems in Portland are electric: forced-air resistance furnaces, heat pumps, and ductless mini-splits. If your heating system is powered by gas, you have a forced-air gas furnace.
Energy Efficiency
We’re going to address energy efficiency first because it is easy to explain from a technical perspective. Electric furnaces are more energy-efficient than fuel-powered versions. In terms of technology and their mechanisms, ductless mini-split systems are the most energy-efficient, followed by heat pumps and resistance forced-air systems. This does not mean these systems are the best for you; to reach such a conclusion, you must consider other factors.
Electric furnaces are 100% energy efficient in their heating mechanisms, meaning that they convert all the electricity they consume at the point of origin. Unlike gas furnaces, electric furnaces don’t waste energy through combustion or exhaust. Gas furnaces are rated on an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) scale; some models can reach up to 95% ratings, but they always score lower than electric furnaces. Technically speaking, the mini-split systems, which have individual air handlers installed in each room, are the most energy-efficient in Portland because they don’t lose heat through ductwork.
Comfort and Heating Efficiency
While energy efficiency is measured at the point of origin for heating systems, heating efficiency is measured at the point of delivery. In other words, you can feel the efficiency of heating systems as they deliver warmth. To this effect, gas furnaces are your best option for heating efficiency and consistent comfort.
One of the primary advantages of gas furnaces is their rapid heat generation. Gas burns instantly with intensity, thus allowing the furnace to quickly raise the temperature of the air passing over the heat exchanger. When the ductwork is in good condition, gas furnaces can deliver hotter air to the vents almost immediately. Gas furnaces can raise indoor temperatures significantly faster than all-electric versions.
If you want consistent heating and that pleasant feeling of cozy warmth, gas furnaces are a better option. With air temperatures as high as 140°F, gas furnaces consistently deliver warmer air in shorter cycles, thus creating the fireplace-like effect you don’t get from resistance heaters, heat pumps, or mini-split systems.
Upfront Costs and Long-Term Savings
In and of itself, the superior energy efficiency of electric furnace systems does not directly translate into lower heating costs, at least not until you crunch the numbers. Starting with the upfront equipment and installation costs, gas furnaces with high AFUE ratings are more expensive than electric resistance models, heat pumps, and mini-splits. The price tags on some gas models are comparable to those of heat pumps that also provide cooling. Then you have the rebate angle to consider; for example, the Energy Trust of Oregon offers up to $4,000 in rebates for extended capacity heat pumps with smart thermostats connected to the Portland General Electric (PGE) utility, making heat pumps even less costly to purchase than high-efficiency gas furnaces with lower rebates.
Installation is also part of the upfront costs, which can be significant for gas furnaces if your home is not connected to the NW Natural or Cascade Natural pipeline networks. If you don’t have ductwork or an internal gas-pipe network for exhaust and venting, installing a gas furnace would be significantly more expensive than installing an electric heating system. When you choose Pro Heating and Cooling, Inc. to install a residential furnace in Portland, we will discuss upfront costs after assessing your property. Suppose you own a Mid-Century or Modernist home in the West Hills, for example. In that case, there’s a good chance you have a low-sloped roof with a reduced crawlspace for ductwork, so installing a ductless mini-split system might be the most financially reasonable option.
When it comes to operating costs and long-term savings, gas furnaces hold the upper hand because of lower energy prices, albeit with a couple of caveats. The energy costs of delivering natural gas to your home are lower, but this advantage is offset by higher maintenance expenses and the complexity of the heating system. Consider the main functional components of gas furnaces, which include the heat exchanger, gas valve, burner, flue, and venting; they are generally more prone to failure and more expensive to replace than their electric furnace equivalents.
Electric furnaces, whether they are heat pumps, ductless mini-splits, or resistance models, require annual or seasonal inspections that focus on the mechanisms, electrical connections, and refrigerant levels. However, they don’t pose any combustion, exhaust, or carbon monoxide risks, which simplifies maintenance. In terms of equipment lifespan, gas furnaces also last longer, but their repair costs can increase substantially after 10 years of operation. All in all, gas furnaces are more expensive to acquire, install, and maintain than their electric counterparts; however, those costs can be offset to some extent through lower energy prices.
The Bottom Line of Electric vs. Gas Furnaces
When you request heating installation and replacement services from Pro Heating and Cooling, Inc., we consider all factors before making a furnace type recommendation. Our property evaluation goes beyond square footage; we consider orientation, weatherstripping, and potential air-leak points. Our technicians perform a comprehensive load calculation to determine the precise size and type of heating system you need in Portland.
The most important step is completing a load and capacity calculation using the Manual J calculation, published by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America. The calculation variables include regional climate data, internal heat gain, external heat loss, and building envelope. The results of a Manual J calculation are expressed in British Thermal Units (BTUs), which we cross-reference with the heating equipment’s ENERGY STAR and AFUE ratings.
To learn more about whether an electric or gas heating system is better for your Hillsboro home, contact the Pro Heating and Cooling, Inc. office today.
