Have you just moved into a new property? It can be difficult to know if you have a gas or electric furnace—especially if you’re new to these appliances. If you’re in this situation, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about!
As a leading HVAC contractor in Manchester, CT, we are always happy to educate our customers and solve any problems they may have. This article will answer the question, “Is my furnace gas or electric?” by looking at a few identification markers you can work with.
Gas or Electric Furnace? Easiest Identification Method
The easiest and fastest way to determine if you have a gas or electric furnace is to visually inspect it while it’s working. Check your basement or attic if you can’t find the furnace. If it’s not in either of those places, follow the ductwork to the end. Your furnace is a large unit that has different ducts connected to it.
A gas furnace heats your home with flames. So, if your HVAC unit heats your property with gas, you’ll see flames when you look through the furnace window into the combustion chamber. If you have someone turn on the system while you’re monitoring, you’ll also hear that accompanying whoosh sound that follows when a gas flame kicks in.
On electric furnaces, there are no flames; they heat your home with electricity. So, you won’t see any windows, and you also won’t hear any noise while it functions.
Other Ways to Distinguish Between a Gas and Electric Furnace
If you’re still asking, “Is my furnace gas or electric?” at this stage, it’s time to delve deeper into the conversation. There are many other ways to tell if you have a gas or electric furnace.
Check for a Gas Line
If you have a gas furnace, you’ll find a copper or steel gas line running from outside your home to the furnace. Most installers will pass the line through a wall in your basement, but some may also pass it through your first or upper floor. If you have a gas line, you’ll also have the shut-off valve (a red gear-like hub) around the furnace.
If you can’t see a gas line or a shut-off valve, you have an electric furnace.
Check for a Gas Meter and Gas Regulator
You should expect to see these two units if you have a gas furnace. If you have a natural gas furnace, you’ll see both of them. If you have a propane furnace, you can expect to find only the regulator.
In most cases, you’ll find them around the spot where the gas line enters your home, but some installers may fix the regulator near the furnace.
Look Under the Furnace Cover Panel
If you can’t turn on the furnace to check for flames, as discussed above, you can still evaluate the system visually. First, remove the cover panel from the furnace and look inside.
For a gas furnace, you can expect to find the following:
- A gas line running into the furnace interior
- A set of burners
- A gas valve assembly
Depending on the type of furnace, you may also see the heat exchangers without needing to remove a second panel.
For an electric furnace, you can expect to find:
- A row of three-six heating elements for air heating joined together by thick wiring and sensors
- A layer of coil-like objects underneath the heating elements
You’ll have to remove the fasteners on a heating element to get to the coil.
Inspect the Electrical Panel for the Voltage
One of the reasons many people find themselves asking, “Is my furnace gas or electric?” is that both types of furnaces need an electrical connection to work. However, electric heaters or electric furnaces will use significantly more power because they use electricity to generate heat.
The gas furnace only needs electricity to run the blower motors and inducer. Look inside the circuit breaker box or the electric panel to confirm if you have a gas or electric furnace. Look for a breaker or two breakers labeled furnace.
If you find one breaker stamped 15 or 20 amp, you have a gas furnace; if you see two furnace breakers stamped 20amps, you have an electric furnace.
Check for a Propane Tank Outside
If you find a propane tank outside your home, you have a propane gas furnace, not an electric unit. The propane tank is easy to identify; it’s a long tank with round ends and a cap on top. You’ll also find a meter underneath.
However, some properties use propane to heat other appliances, such as the range or the water heater. If you need more help determining if you have a gas or electric furnace, contact the professionals at SM Mechanical Services, LLC.
Check Your Utility Bill
You have an electric furnace if your utility bill shows billing for electricity only. If you can find charges for gas, you likely have a gas furnace.
Check Your Roof Top
You have a gas furnace if you can find an exhaust flue on your roof. This chimney-like structure is the exit vent for the gases your furnace produces as it functions. It has a rain cap, so it should be easy to spot. If you can’t find the exhaust flue on your roof, you likely have an electric furnace.
Check the Furnace Label
Some furnace labels will tell you if you have a gas or electric unit. If the label doesn’t disclose this information, copy out the name and model and run a quick search for the details online. You will find the information on the manufacturer’s website.
Consult a Professional HVAC Installation Company
If you’ve gone through the steps above and you’re still asking, “Is my furnace gas or electric?” it’s time to call on the experts.
At SM Mechanical Services, LLC, our technicians can identify your furnace step and complete a quick check following our furnace maintenance checklist to be sure it’s in excellent shape to deliver your heating needs.
Ready to call the SM Mechanical Services, LLC, team in Glastonbury, CT? Dial (860) 530-2632 today for an immediate response.