Heating your home can be a major expense in the winter months. With fuel costs rising, finding the best and most efficient way to keep your family warm can cut those costs. Depending on your situation, shutting off your natural gas furnace and using space heaters strategically might make a substantial difference in your budget.
Central Heating
A natural gas central heating system is connected to a supply pipeline and ducts throughout your home to provide heat to every room. You may be able to shut off individual vents to redirect heat to where it is most needed, but unless you can seal them and close off rooms entirely, you are likely to be warming your entire house anyway.
Portable Heaters
Although natural gas and propane heaters exist, the supply and venting requirements of these types of units make them rarer than ceramic or induction-coil electric space heaters. These units draw up to 1500 watts of electric power when running, so be sure your electrical system can handle the required current. Electric heaters are best suited for heating smaller rooms and should not be run overnight or left unattended because of the risk of fire.
Cost Comparison
The Department of Energy estimates that for purposes of heating your home, one kilowatt-hour of electricity is equivalent to 3.3 cubic feet of natural gas. In 2009, the Energy Information Administration reported the average national price for 1 kWh of electricity was 11.5 cents; 3.3 cubic feet of natural gas cost an average of 4.2 cents. Though costs of both electricity and gas fluctuate throughout the year, heating your entire home with electricity would generally cost more than twice as much as using natural gas.
Spot Heating
The chief advantage of portable heaters is that you can use them to heat only the rooms you’re using. Instead of warming the whole house at once, you can switch heating on and off as you move throughout the house during your daily activities, leaving unoccupied parts of your home cold. If you’re careful, and keep doors shut to trap heat, this can allow you to remain warm while expending less energy.
The Bottom Line
Generally speaking, unless you’re only heating one or two rooms at a time, sticking with your central heating unit is the best option. The price advantage from natural gas is hard to beat unless you can keep your electric heaters working in the most efficient manner. But if you only need to heat a small area of your home at a time, and take precautions to close off unused areas, you may be able to save money by using portable heaters.
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