All Electric Home Heating

Are you considering whether or not all-electric home heating is the best option for your family in Texas? 

You’ve come to the right place. 

All-electric home heating can be a very expensive way to heat your home, and before you make the switch, you’ll want to consider whether or not you are on the ideal electricity plan for your needs. 

Because every family uses different amounts of electricity, one plan may not be as affordable as another. Furthermore, marketing gimmicks and industry terminology can create a haze of confusion that can be very hard for average consumers to penetrate. 

Leave your electricity shopping in the hands of experts with years of experience in the power industry—Trust Power Wizard to be your solution for finding the best electricity plan for your family. With Power Wizard, you don’t have to worry about all the different choices and can feel completely confident about your electricity purchase. 

Don’t wait to start trying our service. You can experience the difference by shopping with Power Wizard today!

When it comes to heating your home, there are a few different heating systems you can consider.

In fact, there are enough options that it can make your head spin (especially if you are not a heating expert, let’s face it, most of us are not).

One of the home heating system options available to you has to do with the heating source—electric.

You can opt for an all-electric heating system for your home (meaning you are staying away from other sources, such as oil, propane, and gas).

If you are considering an all-electric heating home system for your Texas home, then our guide shares with you everything you need to know.

How Are Homes Heated?

Heating a home seems so simple, right?

You turn on a thermostat, hot air comes out of a vent, and voilà, your house gets all nice, warm, and cozy.

Believe it not; there are at least seven different types of home heating systems available, including:

• Electric resistance heating systems
• Forced air heating systems
• Heat pump heating systems
• Gravity air furnace systems
• In-floor radiant heating systems
• Traditional boiler and radiator systems
• Hot water baseboard radiator systems

Of course, electric home heating systems are one of the options you have.

With so many options available, it can feel impossible to choose just one.

It can also feel impossible to decide if an electric heating system is a way to go or if you should be considering a system that uses another source of energy.

Let’s take one step back so we can first determine…

What Is Electric Heating?

Electric heating is a process.

During this process, electrical energy is converted into heat energy.

When talking about electrical heating for a home, an electric heater converts an electric current into heat.

The heat that is converted during the process is then distributed into the rooms of your home to heat areas in your home.

Background On Electric Heating

Electric heating has not always been a main source of heat for homes in Texas.

Remember that Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb in 1879. Would you believe that the invention of the light bulb was eventually what led to the invention of the home heater?

Shortly after the invention of the light bulb, electric heating was invented. The electric heating system was first made by General Electric by using elongated glass bulbs as the source of heat.

The first central heating system did not make its way into homes until 1935.

This was when scientists invented a system that forced the hot air from a wall heater that was heated in the furnace by coal and then used an electric fan to blow the hot air into the room.

By the late 1940s, the heat pump was created, and homeowners had a new heating system to use to heat their homes.

While this is where electric home heating systems began, you might still be wondering how electric home heating systems work today.

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How Does An Electric Heater Work?

When a heater is turned on using the thermostat in a home, an electrical current runs over the coils of the heating unit.

The electric current then passes through the resistor, where the electric current is turned into heat.

What happens to the heated air after this depends on the type of air distribution system your home has.

The air distribution system controls how the heated air gets from the heater unit to the inside the rooms of your home.

The type of air distribution depends on which of the seven heating systems (covered at the beginning) you have or choose.

Technological Advancements In Electric Heating

Heating a home can seem pretty basic. An energy source heats the air, you turn on the heater, and your home gets warm and cozy.

Several technological advancements in electric heating are emerging, however, that make heating your home smarter, more efficient, and more economical.

Smart Systems

Smart heating systems allow you to control the heater in your home using your smartphone or apps on your computer. You can control the heating system from within your home using these devices.

Smart systems connect with the smart thermostat in your home using your WiFi. In addition to being able to control the heater from inside your home, you can also control a smart heating system when you are away from home.

You can turn your heater on or off while you’re away from home. You can also set the home temperature to reach a certain level before you arrive, so your home is warm and cozy for you and your family when you walk in the door.

A smart heating system can help you to save money by controlling the temperature in your home both when you are at home and when you are away.

Energy Efficiency

Energy-efficient electric heating systems are another technological advancement in heating.

Not only do energy-efficient heating systems save you money, but they are better for the environment, too, as they release fewer air pollutants.

Humidity Control

Another technological advancement in electric home heating is humidity control.

This is especially important in Texas because it is a humid state.

Electric heating systems with humidity control help to keep areas in the home from becoming too humid, which can cause:

• Mildew
• Mold
• And other problems

3D Visualization

3D visualization is another technological advancement in electric heating.

It is like a heat-mapping tool that helps you to identify hot spots and cold spots in your home.

It helps to:

1. Ensure that the heat from an electric heating system is spreading throughout your home into the right areas.
2. Identify cold spots in your home where the heat is not reaching so you can take corrective measures to help get the warm air to these areas.
3. Identify areas in your home that are getting too much warm air — hot spots — so you can take measures to reroute some of this hot air to the cold spots in the home.

Not only does this save you money, but it also helps to keep you and your family warm.

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Is Electric Heating Good For My Home And Lifestyle?

Each family and each home uses heat differently.

Because of this, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution for home heating systems.

An electric heating system may be right for one home and family but be completely wrong for another home and family.

When you are trying to decide if electric heating is the best option for your home and lifestyle, keep in mind that there are several different factors to consider.

Consideration 1: Location

Texas is one of the southern states in the U.S. that has mild winters. It doesn’t get as cold during the winter in Texas as it does in the Northeast part of the U.S. or out west, for example.

Location is probably one of the biggest factors to consider when choosing an electric heating system.

An electric system can be more cost-effective to run during the winter months in a warmer location, such as Texas, as opposed to a location that has harsh winters.

Consideration 2: Efficiency

Another important factor to consider is the efficiency of an all-electric heating system for your home.

Generally speaking, an electric heating system is more energy-efficient than home heating systems that run on gas, propane, or oil.

In addition to an electric home heating system being more efficient than systems running on other energy sources, you also want to make sure that the electric heating system you are choosing is as efficient as possible.

The more efficient the electric system is that you install in your home, the less money it is going to cost you to operate it.

As an added bonus, a more efficient system is also better for the environment.

Consideration 3: Cost

When it comes to considering cost, it is important to keep the following in mind:

• The cost of installing an all-electric heating system
• The cost of running the system
• Maintenance costs

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3 Top All Electric Home Heating Options

You may be wondering how to heat your home with electricity. Here are some of the electricity options that stand apart from the rest.

Option 1: Heat Pump

In southern states, such as Texas, a heat pump is probably the most popular option.

A heat pump can be used both as a heater for the colder winter months and an air conditioner for warmer months.

Because heat pumps are powered by electricity, it is one of the most eco-friendly heating sources for homes.

A heat pump is up to two times more efficient than other types of heating sources. Since it is such an efficient heating source, it can save you money.

Option 2: Furnace

The majority of homes in North America use a furnace for heating their homes.

But did you know you can have an all-electric furnace?

A furnace blows warm air into your home through the ceiling or floor registers or grills.

Option 3: Electric Baseboard Heat

Electric baseboard heaters work similarly to portable space heaters.

Instead of plugging the heater in, however, electric baseboard heaters are hardwired to the home. This heating system runs along the baseboards of a room.

Two factors that make this type of electric heating system popular are that it is inexpensive to install and operate.

Additionally, you can control the temperature in each room by turning the heater on or off for rooms that are in use or not in use.

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What Is The Best Electric Heating System For My Home And Me?

The best heating system for you and your home may be different from that of your neighbor or friend that lives across town.

Many different factors come into play when choosing the best electric heating system for you and your home.

Some of the factors to consider are:

• Size of your home (square footage)
• Number of floors/rooms
• Cost to install
• How much to maintain the system
• Cost to operate

If you live alone but have a home with quite a few rooms that you do not use, it might be wise to consider installing electric baseboard heaters.

This would allow you to turn on the heater in the room that you are using but keep the heat off in the rooms not being used.

If you have a heat pump or furnace, then the heated air is going to come out in all rooms where there are registers or grills, so it gives you less control of heat access and cost to operate.

If you live in a one-floor condo, it may be as efficient and cost-effective to install an electric heat pump.

Again, you have to weigh all of the considerations for your situation.

You may be wondering…

Can forced air heat be electric?

Forced air is another term used to describe furnaces and heaters. Forced air heaters can use oil, gas, electric, or propane as a source of energy to heat your home.

These heaters heat air in the furnace and then distribute the hot air throughout your home through the ductwork.

What Is The Most Efficient Electric Heating System?

All electric heating systems are energy efficient.

But the most energy-efficient electric heating system is a heat pump.

The reason electric heaters are so energy efficient is that the systems use outside air to provide heated air to your home.

In some cases, this creates a situation where your home is receiving more heated output than the air that is put into the system.

Can You Convert Oil Heat To Electric?

Oil and Texas pretty much went hand in hand for decades.

This means that many homes were heated by oil. The short answer to the question, “Can you convert oil heat to electric?” is yes.

There are three primary factors that you have to consider, however, when deciding if this is the right move for you and your home.

Age Of The Home

If you have an older home, then you might have appliances that all run on another source aside from electricity. If you decide to convert to electric for heating then you can also decide to convert the appliances.

This could mean that you have to buy all new appliances.

If it is new construction, then you would not be converting from oil to electric, so it is much cheaper and easier to install an all-electric heat system in new construction homes.

Replace Only A Furnace

A second consideration is whether you are only looking to replace a furnace (heat) or both a furnace or air conditioner.

This is important because one of the forms of electric heater (a heat pump) can be used as both a heater and an air conditioner, whereas other types of electric heating systems are only a source of heat.

Electricity Rates

Another consideration is the current electricity rates.

It is important to determine if electric rates are less expensive than other energy sources.

It is also important to know if the electricity rates for the plans in your area are:

• Fixed
• Variable
• Low
• High

One way to figure out which plans are available in your area is with the Power Wizard Shopping Tool.

Is Electric Heat Expensive?

Electric heat can be more expensive than natural gas, propane, or oil furnaces.

Electric heat is not necessarily cheap, but there are ways to find cheap electricity that works for your home and your lifestyle.

There are many factors to take into consideration that make the heat more or less expensive, besides the heat source.

The only way to know that you are getting the best deal on your electricity is by making sure that your energy plan matches your electricity needs.

The best way to ensure you have the right match is to use the Power Wizard Shopping Tool.

The Power Wizard Shopping Tool uses an algorithm that takes your energy needs and usage into consideration as it searches through the 160+ Retail Electric Providers (REPs) in Texas to match you with the best electricity plan for you that is available in the market.

Simply answer a few basic questions about your home and usage, such as…

• Square footage of your home
• Age of your home
• Your estimated usage per month
• The exact location of your home (zip code)

…and within five minutes or less, Power Wizard matches you with the best electricity plan available.

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