If you are building or buying your first home, you might worry that a gas heating system is an old-fashioned choice. While it is true that gas heating has been around for a long time, this tried and tested method of heating has many advantages for the average Australian household. Here are five ways in which gas heating can benefit you.

1. Affordable

Compared to electric heating systems, gas heating is usually more cost-efficient. The exact amount that you pay for each unit of gas depends on your energy provider and the cost of gas on the wholesale market, the latter of which fluctuates due to global conditions. You can reduce the cost of gas heating even further by scheduling regular tune-ups for your furnace to ensure it works efficiently.

2. Powerful

Gas furnaces produce air that is slightly hotter than the highest temperature that electric heaters can achieve. Therefore, your home should heat up quickly when you fire up your furnace. Stay warm and cosy by scheduling your gas heating system to turn on automatically shortly before you wake each day and when you return from work.

3. Environmentally Responsible

Most people assume that electric heating is better for the environment than gas heating, as gas is a fossil fuel. However, a lot of Australia's electricity is produced by burning coal and oil in power stations. These fuels are more polluting than gas, which means that using electricity to heat your home is only an environmentally friendly option if you have some way of generating your own electricity using a renewable method, such as solar panels.

4. Never Lose Heating

Unlike electric heating, a gas heating system continues to work even during a power outage. If you live in an area that is frequently affected by power cuts, investing in a gas heating system could be a good way to ensure that you always stay warm. Even if the gas supply to your home is cut off, which is very unlikely to happen, you can connect a canister of natural gas to run your heating system.

5. Long Life

Gas heating systems typically have a very long life span before the furnace needs to be replaced. In comparison, electric heaters break down more often. As long as you maintain your gas furnace through regular gas safety checks, your gas heating system should give you many decades of useful service.