What is involved in converting to natural gas?
Each home or business wanting to use natural gas will require a service hookup to bring the gas to the building. The specific actions necessary for converting to natural gas depend on what you currently use to heat your home or business.
Converting from propane to natural gas:
Converting your propane furnace, boiler, water heater, range or dryer may be as simple as changing orifices. If your appliances are older, you may have to purchase new appliances.
For the average home, the savings of switching to natural gas from propane pays off the cost of conversion, including the service hookup, furnace conversion and a new water heater, within approximately 24 months.
For those homes requiring replacement of a propane-burning furnace instead of conversion, the average savings still pay off the service hookup, new furnace and a new water heater within approximately 62 months.
Converting from electricity to natural gas:
Unlike propane-burning appliances, electrical appliances must be replaced with natural-gas-burning appliances in order to the convert the heating of your home.
For homes with usable duct work, conversion may just mean replacing the electrical furnace with a natural gas furnace. The average savings of switching from electricity to natural gas would pay for the new furnace in approximately 53 months.
For some homes that use electricity for heating, such as with baseboard or radiant heating, there may not be existing ductwork. These homes would require the additional steps of installing ductwork since heating with natural gas requires forced air. The average savings of switching from electricity to natural gas would pay for the new furnace and ductwork in approximately 9 years.
Who should convert my systems to natural gas?
Only a qualified contractor should remove your old equipment and install a new natural gas water heater, furnace or boiler.
