3 Things To Think About Before Making The Switch To Natural Gas in Kawartha Lakes
Natural gas is expanding in Kawartha Lakes, but is it the right fuel source for your home? If you are already heating your home with propane, you may be surprised by the answer. Here are three key things to consider before making the switch to natural gas.
The hidden costs of transitioning to natural gas.
Savings, sustainability and efficiency. These are three big words that get tossed around a lot when we hear about the conversion to natural gas. But here’s what they don’t tell you.
1. Hidden fees
Like virtually all fuel sources, when you switch to natural gas you will have a monthly bill reflecting the amount of gas used in your household. But, unlike other fuel sources, you will also end up paying:
Initiation fee: A one-time account initiation fee to open your account
Length charge: An installation fee including a “length charge” which varies depending on how far away your home is from the main natural gas line.
Customer charge: A monthly customer charge to help cover the costs of maintaining the natural gas system.
Expansion surcharge: An expansion surcharge is a fee applied to every new customer's account to help cover the expense of expanding the natural gas infrastructure into their area.
2. (Very) Long payback period
A payback period refers to how long it will take for savings to offset the cost of investing in something new—in this case, natural gas. The average payback period for conversion to natural gas ranges from 15 years to possibly never.
The cost of heating an average 3-bedroom home with propane is not considerably different from heating that same home with natural gas. And, this difference is reduced further if your home is well insulated and you have high-efficiency propane equipment already installed. So, because the cost of converting to natural gas is steep (see the next point), the cost of making the switch may never be offset by the potential savings.
3. The cost of conversion.
Converting a home to natural gas in Ontario can cost between $5,000 to $15,000.
Costs associated with converting to natural gas include, but are not limited to:
The installation of a gas line and the length of that line
The purchase of a new natural gas compatible furnace and other appliances like a water heater or dryer
Fees for labour and permits
Installation, expansion or modification of your home’s ductwork
Interest payments on financing and loans to complete the project
Not only is the conversion expensive, but all of these steps take time and can be very disruptive to daily life for weeks or months at a time.
Do you currently heat your home with propane?
We’re not opposed to change but as the saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The expansion of the natural gas infrastructure in Kawartha Lakes has many homeowners considering making the switch. If you are one of them, stop and ask yourself: is the cost of conversion worth it? The answer may be “no.”
If you need help weighing the pros and cons of converting your home from propane to another fuel type, call the heating experts at British Empire Fuels. We have been servicing homes and businesses in Kawartha Lakes and the surrounding region since the days of delivering coal and we’re here to help. Call (705) 738-2121 today and speak to one of our home comfort specialists about your heating needs.