Gas appliances

[lovemygoofy]

Do you have gas heat or gas appliances? Is it easy to use? Do you still have pilot lights that have to be lit? Is it easy to blow up the house? Is gas more expensive than electricity? Is it a special detector/alarm needed?

Alot of the properties we are looking at are gas heated with the other things too. I know nothing about them and rather nervous that I would blow up the house. Do you enjoy yours? Should an all electric girl even consider gas stuff? Help me out please. It's bad enough trying to find somewhere to live and then trying to sort through gas and electric makes it even worse.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

TINA!!!!!

I prefer natural gas over propane, especially for cooking. I have an electric smooth top right now and it's alright. I'm just so happy to see you.

 

[clgwli]

Here gas is cheaper by far than electricity. No it is not easy to blow up a house We have an electric range and I hate it honestly. I can't wait to get gas back on the range. I don't like gas ovens though as they aren't as even with the heating. The pilot we had on our last gas stove was electric starter. As in it needed to click on to make it work. Most are like that now that I've seen.

Our heat is gas as well as our water heater. Much nicer when we lose electricity to be able to take a hot shower.

Personally I hate all electric homes. They are very costly here and I am not fond of them at all. No special detector needed for the house with gas either. They make sure that natural gas smells if it does leak.

I looked at a few all electric homes and decided not to since I am not a fan.

If you are used to electric I would stick to an electric oven and then try a gas range. Gas ranges heat up quicker and give instant change for the heat when you are cooking. I find cooking on gas much easier and more reliable.
Again I hate gas ovens though so as soon as we can afford we are going to get a dual fuel stove.

Good luck and don't worry. Gas homes are very easy once you get used to them. I personally would never go back to electric.

 

[olena]

We have gas heat, water heater and stove I love them. I never had a gas stove before this house and now I never want to go back. We haven't blown up yet. I don't know about the pilot light. We've never had to bother with ours and our house is 13 years old.

I love your new pics in your signature, Tina. You two are adorable! Are you buying locally or relocating altogether?

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

We have gas appliances in the house in SC. You don't have to light the stove or anything - it is all automatic. Personally, I prefer electric but after using gas it really doesn't matter I guess.

Install a CO detector and you should be fine. We also had the Gas company come out and check for leaks when we first moved in. They did this free of charge!

 

[Sleepy]

Until moving to italy, I was terrified of a gas stove. In fact, we gave up alot of really nice places to rent because they had gas appliances. Here, I have no choice. I love it so much more than electricity. My stove has automatic lighters and all I do is turn a knob to turn it off. Cooking is much better too. When i turn the flame off, the stuff stops cooking, unlike an electric element that takes time to cool off. There is no problem with uneven heating either. The flame is constant throughout. With an electric element, sometimes part of it is hotter than the other. I don't worry about fires like I thought I would. Can't imagine going back to electricity.

You can purchase a carbon monoxide detector if you worry about that.

 

[olena]

We have gas appliances in the house in SC. You don't have to light the stove or anything - it is all automatic. Personally, I prefer electric but after using gas it really doesn't matter I guess.

Install a CO detector and you should be fine. We also had the Gas company come out and check for leaks when we first moved in. They did this free of charge!

Yes, I forgot to add that detectors are a must....gas appliances or not!

 

[Boo'sMom]

TINA!!!!!

I prefer natural gas over propane, especially for cooking. I have an electric smooth top right now and it's alright. I'm just so happy to see you.

I was thinking the same thing about seeing you Tina

I have all electric, but would love to go to a gas stove...my experience is that it heats up faster and cooks more evenly.

 

[lovemygoofy]

Thanks everyone for the quick feedback. I've never dealt with gas stuff and it's rather intimidating as all I remember is "old" stuff from the 70s & 80's at Granny's and having to light the pilot light. We used to roast marshmallows on her stove top. Probably not recommened Im sure.

We move less than 3 months and saw some great places online but so many are gas. I'm still rather nervous that I would blow up something. I'm thinking that would cause house insurance to go up

 

[mamacatnv]

Love love love my gas appliances - I have gas heat, hot water, dryer and stove. I've never worried about blowing up the house and the heating unit is in the garage so I don't worry about CO.

It takes a little getting used to cooking on gas, be prepared you are going to burn things often but once you understand how easy it is to use and control the heat you will never want electric again.

Our house was plumbed for an electric dryer and we had a brand new gas one so we re-plumbed and then had a appliance guy test the line so the city would approve and sign off on our permit.

Our house is 12 years old and we have never had to light a pilot light. Everthing is electronic ignition.

Gas is also significantly cheaper for heat than our other option of electric.

I have heard that electric stoves cook more evenly than gas but I have no experience to share.

 

[Cool-Beans]

I've had both and really, a lot, very much, soooo prefer gas. Electric stove tops are for the birds, IMO. When you want to turn something down, you do it and then wait. With gas, you turn it up or down (or off) and it is done. And gas heat is warm when it blows out.

I wouldn't go back to electric unless I was broke and had to.

Haven't blown up the house yet, lol.

 

[clgwli]

Thanks everyone for the quick feedback. I've never dealt with gas stuff and it's rather intimidating as all I remember is "old" stuff from the 70s & 80's at Granny's and having to light the pilot light. We used to roast marshmallows on her stove top. Probably not recommened Im sure.

We move less than 3 months and saw some great places online but so many are gas. I'm still rather nervous that I would blow up something. I'm thinking that would cause house insurance to go up

Based on talking to local friends I have no noticable difference in insurance. Remember electric can spark and cause house fires too. Nothing is 100% perfect or safe.

 

[momrek06]

TINA!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are now in CA and our home is all GAS!!! I love it. Gas stove, Gas heat, Gas dryer!!! I find it much cheaper than all the electricity and oil I have with our MA home!!! Easy to figure out the stove. M&D were here for the holidays and they loved the gas cooking. They had that all figured in a day.

 

[hiwaygal]

Gas appliances have changed a lot since the 70's...the one we have has an electric ignition that doesn't require a "pilot" light. If the power goes out we can still use the stove (lighting it with a match) but not the oven.

Gas heat for us is cheaper. Even if the prices of gas and electric are comparable, gas heat is a "warmer" feel and seems to linger longer (if that makes sense).

You are no more likely to blow up your house with gas appliances than you are to fry yourself with electric ones.

And there's a reason for the saying "you're cooking with gas now!"

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Go with the gas! I grew up in an all electric house and would never go back to it.

Our range doesn't have a pilot light. It clicks when its lighting. You can hear it. Only thing to watch out for is that sometimes when I'm cleaning the stove top I get cleaning fluid in the burners and it won't light. I just take one of those long bbq lighters and put it near the gas. It poofs on and clears up the cleaning stuff. I probably shouldn't get the cleaning stuff in there but I haven't blown up yet!!

And yes, get the CO2 detectors. We have a joint smoke alarm/CO2 detector. We put them in the regular places and everything seems find.

Don't exclude a home just because of gas. You can definitely get used to it without a problem.

 

[Jennifer S]

Another vote for gas - I would never get a house w/ electric. I have all gas appliances

 

[mamacatnv]

Thanks everyone for the quick feedback. I've never dealt with gas stuff and it's rather intimidating as all I remember is "old" stuff from the 70s & 80's at Granny's and having to light the pilot light. We used to roast marshmallows on her stove top. Probably not recommened Im sure.

We move less than 3 months and saw some great places online but so many are gas. I'm still rather nervous that I would blow up something. I'm thinking that would cause house insurance to go up

We roast marshmallows, heat up tortillas and roast peppers for cooking all directly on the stove top burners. Gas has a very distinctive odor, if you ever had a leak you would know about it. The only explosions I have read about usually involve propane and not natural gas.

Are you looking at new houses? Call your insurance agent, I really don't know if I pay more because I have gas or not. I do pay thru the nose because I have earthquake coverage but that is a whole nother issue

When we bought our house we had it narrowed down to 2 -they were both brand new the deciding factor was I really wanted a gas kitchen and only 1 of the 2 had a gas kitchen.

 

[JR6ooo4]

We have gas heat, gast hot water, gas stove, gas clothes dryer.
only the old water heater has a pilot light. All others have electronic ignition.

Mikeeee

 

[Mr Man]

I prefer gas. We have it for just about all of our major appliances: water heater, furnace, dryer, stove, ovens, fireplace .....also for the pool heater, outdoor firepit, grills, patio heater, generator....and the list goes on.....

Gas is a good bit cheaper than electricity in Texas.

Our last house was an all-electric. We had some astronomical electric bills there........

We check for gas leaks once a year and have smoke & CO2 detectors throughout the house.

 

[piney]

Just wanted to say "Hi! Tina!"