What is better electric or gas?

Question

My husband and I are building a house, and he wants to get us a 2 ton condenser heat pump with a fan coil, so we will be all electric. Our house is 960 sq feet plus a full finished basement. We will have Icynene insulation in our side walls and we will have double pane windows. I was told that going all electric was stupid, because gas was way cheaper. Is this true?

Answer 1

Depends on your climate. If you live in an area that has winters below 20 degrees you are wasting your money on a heat pump. If you live in an area that normal winters are above freezing your husband is right on!

Answer 2

i just hear the electric is going up but whats not .

Answer 3

electric is prohibitively expensive in areas that freeze during the winter, so unless you are independently wealthy, live in the South ( like Florida or Texas, not North Carolina) or have your own means of generating electricity i would consider gas as the most fiscally sensible. If you want to save the planet consider that your electricity is likley being produced by coal burning

Answer 4

All utility costs are ridiculously expensive, I've had both electric & gas heat within the last 10 years, both sky-rocketing. If I had to choose, I'd choose electric.

If you are able, seriously consider putting in a solar panel system, any kind of self-sustaining type of heating/cooloing unit would be of benefit. I believe you get tax breaks also!