afue – Aire One East Heating & Cooling https://www.aireonedurham.ca Tue, 03 Nov 2026 04:12:21 +0000 en-CA hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://www.aireonedurham.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/fav-img.png afue – Aire One East Heating & Cooling https://www.aireonedurham.ca 32 32 Gas vs Electric Furnace: Which Wins in Ontario? (2026) https://www.aireonedurham.ca/gas-vs-electric-furnace/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gas-vs-electric-furnace Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:27:49 +0000 https://www.aireonedurham.ca/?p=13947 Aire One East Heating & Cooling Gas vs Electric FurnaceWhich Wins a Durham Winter? One burns gas for cheaper, stronger heat, the other runs on electricity with a lower up-front cost Costs ComparedEfficiency & SafetyDurham Region 2026 GUIDE AIRE ONE EAST DURHAM REGION ★ 4.8 Google (364)Carrier Factory Authorized24/7 Emergency ServiceFamily Owned Since 1991TSSA Licence #1219734Serving Durham Region Updated August 31, 2026 · Reviewed by Ben Amina, TSSA-certified gas technician, Licence #1219734 · Aire One East Heating & Cooling By Ben Amina, Owner and Manager · TSSA Licence #1219734Aire One East Heating & Cooling, 1910 Dundas St E #117, Whitby Gas vs electric furnace is the choice between a furnace that burns natural gas to make heat and one that heats with electric elements. For a Durham home facing real Ontario winters, the right answer usually comes down to running cost, heating power, and whether your home has a gas line. This guide compares them side by side. For new systems, see our furnace installation page. Key takeaways In gas vs electric furnace, a gas furnace usually costs less to run in Ontario because natural gas is cheaper than electricity. An electric furnace costs less up front and is simpler to install, with no gas line or venting needed. Gas furnaces heat faster and stronger, which suits a cold Durham winter; electric furnaces work harder in deep cold. An electric furnace has no combustion, so no carbon monoxide risk, while a gas furnace needs venting and a yearly safety check. For most Durham homes on natural gas, a high-efficiency gas furnace wins; electric suits homes with no gas line. Short answer: in gas vs electric furnace, choose a gas furnace if your home has a natural gas line and you want lower running costs and stronger heat, and an electric furnace if you have no gas line or want the lowest up-front cost. For gas vs electric furnace, Aire One East sizes and installs both across Durham Region, and can also compare a heat pump. Call 905-576-7600. On this page Gas vs electric furnace: how they differ Gas vs electric furnace: cost and efficiency Which is better for an Ontario winter? Safety and maintenance Which should you choose? Key terms in this article Frequently asked questions A gas furnace burns fuel for heat; an electric furnace uses heating elements, with no venting or gas line. Gas vs electric furnace: how they differ The heart of gas vs electric furnace is how each one makes heat. A gas furnace burns natural gas (or propane) in a set of burners, and a blower moves that warmed air through your ducts. An electric furnace passes electricity through heating elements, much like a giant toaster, and blows the heated air through the same ducts. Both are forced-air systems, but the fuel source changes the cost, the installation, the safety needs, and how each performs in the cold. Here is how gas vs electric furnace stacks up for a Durham homeowner. Feature Gas furnace Electric furnace Energy source Natural gas or propane Electricity Efficiency AFUE about 80 to 98 percent Near 100 percent at the unit Up-front cost Higher Lower Running cost in Ontario Usually lower, gas is cheaper Usually higher, electricity costs more Cold-weather heating Strong and fast Slower, works harder in deep cold Typical lifespan 15 to 20 years 20 to 30 years Safety Combustion, needs venting and CO checks No combustion, no carbon monoxide Installation Needs a gas line and venting Simpler, no venting required Gas vs electric furnace: cost and efficiency On up-front price, an electric furnace usually wins gas vs electric furnace, because it costs less to buy and is simpler to install with no gas line or venting. But the picture flips on running cost. In Ontario, natural gas is generally cheaper per unit of heat than electricity, so a gas furnace usually costs less to run over a long, cold heating season, which is why it is the most common choice across Durham. On efficiency, an electric furnace converts nearly all the electricity it draws into heat at the unit, while a gas furnace is rated by AFUE, with high-efficiency models reaching the mid-to-high 90s. The catch is that cheaper gas often makes a gas furnace cheaper to operate even at a lower efficiency rating, which settles gas vs electric furnace for many Durham homes. Which is better for an Ontario winter? For a cold Ontario winter, a gas furnace usually has the edge in gas vs electric furnace, because it produces strong heat quickly and keeps running costs down through months of heavy use. An electric furnace can absolutely keep a Durham home warm, but in a deep freeze it works harder and the higher electricity cost adds up over a long season. Where an electric furnace shines is a home with no natural gas connection, since it avoids the cost of bringing in a gas line. It is also worth knowing there is a third option: a cold-climate heat pump heats far more efficiently than an electric furnace and can pair with a gas furnace in a dual-fuel setup. Safety and maintenance. The biggest safety difference in gas vs electric furnace is combustion. A gas furnace burns fuel, so it needs proper venting, a yearly inspection for a cracked heat exchanger, and a working carbon monoxide alarm; an electric furnace has none of that combustion risk. Both need professional installation and yearly maintenance. If you have a gas furnace and smell gas, leave and call the Enbridge Gas emergency line at 1-866-763-5427 from outside, and if a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, get out and call 911. Gas work in Ontario is licensed, so it must be done by a TSSA-certified technician. Which should you choose? Put simply, gas vs electric furnace comes down to your home and your priorities. Choose a gas furnace if you have a natural gas line, want lower running costs, and need strong heat for a cold Durham winter, which fits […]

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