Sketch of Nick and Shi-nae’s house design
It might not feel like it everywhere, but winter is coming (even if Game of Thrones is over). With it, will come strong winds that can sting, but 178 million Americans can rely on coming back to their home or business heated by natural gas. Nick Rumas and Shin-ae Kang live in a suburb of Chicago, which is no stranger to cold winters, and know this all too well. They are building a new home with sustainability in mind. They care about efficient heating, cooking, drying, as well as saving money on monthly bills. Natural gas service can help achieve most, if not all, their goals, and Nick and Shin-ae can rely on new technologies, like the ones identified in the AGA’s Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Pathways.
Absorption Heat Pump
This is not the water heater you are used to. An absorption heat pump works by using an ammonia-water absorption cycle to provide heating. It is typically used for larger buildings, but we are seeing greater adoption in the residential sector. This has been made possible through advancements in technology such as generator absorber heat exchangers (GAX) which boosts the efficiency by recovering the heat that is released when the ammonia is absorbed into the water. Using an absorption heat pump can help reduce emissions by up to 55 percent. It also takes care of your water heating needs. Since the system works by heating water, this can be used for your sink, shower, dishwasher and laundry.
In fact, you can expect your heating bill to be significantly lower by using natural gas. During the January 2014 polar vortex, the average heating cost for customers for the month was $159 for natural gas compared to $267 for a heat pump backed up by an electric furnace.
High Efficiency Gas Stove Beyond the benefits of hearing the click click whoosh when you turn on your stove, having a high efficiency gas stove and oven can cut down on cooking time and be more affordable than an electric stove. They are also high efficiency, easy cleaning and reliability that natural gas equipment is known for. And if that is not enough, check out these chefs explaining why they love cooking with gas.
With these increased efficiencies and properly insulating your home, you can always rely on natural gas for a comfortable winter.
