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Your 5-Step Guide to Powering Your Home With Natural Gas
Discover how natural gas can help heat your home more efficiently and let you cook and entertain like a pro
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If you’re renovating or building a new home, chances are you’ve already dedicated some time to considering how to power it in the most efficient and cost-effective way. But rather than simply weighing up the benefits of different power sources, why not take a look at how and why natural gas can best fulfil them. To help inform you, we asked Natural Gas for tips on how gas powers today’s homes and meets the diverse needs of households, both large and small.
1. What Are the Hot Water Needs of Your Household?
Households’ hot water needs are notorious for changing seasonally and over time, so this requires some future thinking. Do you often have guests or several family members who all need to shower at a similar time, or are bathing times in your household staggered throughout the day? Even if you have young children enjoying shared evening baths now, as teens and young adults they will likely prefer individual morning showers, so factor this in when determining your future hot water needs.
If you’ve ever run out of hot water or want unlimited access, a gas-powered continuous flow hot-water system makes a great choice for most households. These work by instantly heating hot water with the twist of a tap, meaning you’re only heating water as you need it, which is a great energy- and money-saver. Plus, you’ll never run out of hot water again.
For an even more environmentally savvy solution, you might also consider a gas-boosted solar hot-water system, so you can enjoy hot water come rain, hail or shine.
Households’ hot water needs are notorious for changing seasonally and over time, so this requires some future thinking. Do you often have guests or several family members who all need to shower at a similar time, or are bathing times in your household staggered throughout the day? Even if you have young children enjoying shared evening baths now, as teens and young adults they will likely prefer individual morning showers, so factor this in when determining your future hot water needs.
If you’ve ever run out of hot water or want unlimited access, a gas-powered continuous flow hot-water system makes a great choice for most households. These work by instantly heating hot water with the twist of a tap, meaning you’re only heating water as you need it, which is a great energy- and money-saver. Plus, you’ll never run out of hot water again.
For an even more environmentally savvy solution, you might also consider a gas-boosted solar hot-water system, so you can enjoy hot water come rain, hail or shine.
2. What’s Your Preferred Cooking Method?
The question of whether you opt for a gas or electric cooktop comes down to personal preference and will factor in when choosing the best energy solutions for your home.
If you consider yourself a bit of a foodie, the instant heat and precision control of a natural gas cooktop lets you get creative and chargrill veggies over the open flame or try Asian recipes on the wok burner. If like many professional chefs you opt for a natural gas cooktop, be sure to incorporate it into your kitchen design early so you can get everything plumbed in before your cabinetry is assembled.
If you don’t already have a gas connection, the first step is to check if your property can be connected by using the Go Natural Gas connection tool that conducts a quick search on your address. You’ll also want to choose your appliances before your renovation or build is underway to ensure you have adequate space for ventilation and pipework.
If your preferred cuisines are more of the takeaway variety, then more power to you. Just remember to factor in the resale value of your home when designing your kitchen, as many potential buyers place added value on gas appliances – particularly for cooking.
The question of whether you opt for a gas or electric cooktop comes down to personal preference and will factor in when choosing the best energy solutions for your home.
If you consider yourself a bit of a foodie, the instant heat and precision control of a natural gas cooktop lets you get creative and chargrill veggies over the open flame or try Asian recipes on the wok burner. If like many professional chefs you opt for a natural gas cooktop, be sure to incorporate it into your kitchen design early so you can get everything plumbed in before your cabinetry is assembled.
If you don’t already have a gas connection, the first step is to check if your property can be connected by using the Go Natural Gas connection tool that conducts a quick search on your address. You’ll also want to choose your appliances before your renovation or build is underway to ensure you have adequate space for ventilation and pipework.
If your preferred cuisines are more of the takeaway variety, then more power to you. Just remember to factor in the resale value of your home when designing your kitchen, as many potential buyers place added value on gas appliances – particularly for cooking.
3. How Often Do You Barbecue?
The great tradition of alfresco cooking has changed the way Australians prepare food so much that it’s also changed how our cooking spaces are designed – in particular our alfresco living and dining spaces. Today, it’s common for home renovations or new builds to include outdoor kitchen facilities, because our appetite for year-round alfresco living is at an all-time high.
Regardless of whether this takes a small and simple form or is a more sophisticated set-up, a built-in barbecue is always the star of the show. Why? Because with a built-in barbecue that’s connected to your gas line, you’ll never find yourself stranded with an empty LPG bottle and a hungry crowd or have to lug a full LPG bottle through to your backyard ever again.
So if you enjoy a barbie and are building or renovating an outdoor entertaining area, consider forgoing a freestanding barbecue in favour of a built-in option that’s connected to a continuous supply of natural gas.
The great tradition of alfresco cooking has changed the way Australians prepare food so much that it’s also changed how our cooking spaces are designed – in particular our alfresco living and dining spaces. Today, it’s common for home renovations or new builds to include outdoor kitchen facilities, because our appetite for year-round alfresco living is at an all-time high.
Regardless of whether this takes a small and simple form or is a more sophisticated set-up, a built-in barbecue is always the star of the show. Why? Because with a built-in barbecue that’s connected to your gas line, you’ll never find yourself stranded with an empty LPG bottle and a hungry crowd or have to lug a full LPG bottle through to your backyard ever again.
So if you enjoy a barbie and are building or renovating an outdoor entertaining area, consider forgoing a freestanding barbecue in favour of a built-in option that’s connected to a continuous supply of natural gas.
4. How Will You Heat Your Home?
Some people love the ambience of a roaring fire, while others prefer to avoid the mess and hassle of firewood and ash, and want the convenience of tapping a button to heat their abode. Whatever your preference, first consider which parts of your home you need to heat at different times of day (or night) and how often.
If you’re out most days, you may only need to warm a few rooms for a couple of hours on the coldest evenings. However, if you work from home or spend much of your time in your house or apartment, you’ll thank yourself on chilly winter days if you install a gas fireplace or ducted heating system. Both can be retrofitted, though it’s easier and cheaper to factor in these features at the start of your build or renovation.
Fireplaces and ducted heating can both be powered by natural gas, which gives instant heat and easily maintains your optimum temperature, making them great energy-efficient and cost-effective solutions. You can also use your gas-ducted system to cool your home in summer with some handy add-on cooling options.
Natural gas fireplaces offer a modern take on traditional wood-fuelled fires. Conveniently remote controlled, they come in a range of sleek designs to create that beautiful centrepiece in your living space and evoke a cosy ambience. Plus, they are a highly sought-after feature that add value should you decide to sell your home down the track. And because natural gas emissions embody less carbon intensity than other fuels, you can heat your home without burning a hole in your conscience.
Some people love the ambience of a roaring fire, while others prefer to avoid the mess and hassle of firewood and ash, and want the convenience of tapping a button to heat their abode. Whatever your preference, first consider which parts of your home you need to heat at different times of day (or night) and how often.
If you’re out most days, you may only need to warm a few rooms for a couple of hours on the coldest evenings. However, if you work from home or spend much of your time in your house or apartment, you’ll thank yourself on chilly winter days if you install a gas fireplace or ducted heating system. Both can be retrofitted, though it’s easier and cheaper to factor in these features at the start of your build or renovation.
Fireplaces and ducted heating can both be powered by natural gas, which gives instant heat and easily maintains your optimum temperature, making them great energy-efficient and cost-effective solutions. You can also use your gas-ducted system to cool your home in summer with some handy add-on cooling options.
Natural gas fireplaces offer a modern take on traditional wood-fuelled fires. Conveniently remote controlled, they come in a range of sleek designs to create that beautiful centrepiece in your living space and evoke a cosy ambience. Plus, they are a highly sought-after feature that add value should you decide to sell your home down the track. And because natural gas emissions embody less carbon intensity than other fuels, you can heat your home without burning a hole in your conscience.
5. How Do You Like to Relax and Entertain?
Before you decide on the right energy mix for your home, take a moment to think about how you like to relax and entertain. Does your idea of a Saturday night well spent involve a roaring fire and a good book or an outdoor dinner party? Do your kids like roasting marshmallows around a fire pit with friends, or is the comfort and cosiness of a movie night on the sofa more your thing?
Natural gas-powered outdoor heaters, fire pits and pool-heating systems let you enjoy outdoor gatherings with friends even in winter, while the ambience and convenience of an indoor gas fireplace can transform your interior into a warm and welcoming social hub with the flick of a switch.
Socialising and relaxing shouldn’t stop in the cooler months – the trick is selecting the right energy source and appliances to help you relax and entertain in comfort all year round.
More: To find out more about natural gas and discover how it can enhance your lifestyle year-round, visit Natural Gas.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Before you decide on the right energy mix for your home, take a moment to think about how you like to relax and entertain. Does your idea of a Saturday night well spent involve a roaring fire and a good book or an outdoor dinner party? Do your kids like roasting marshmallows around a fire pit with friends, or is the comfort and cosiness of a movie night on the sofa more your thing?
Natural gas-powered outdoor heaters, fire pits and pool-heating systems let you enjoy outdoor gatherings with friends even in winter, while the ambience and convenience of an indoor gas fireplace can transform your interior into a warm and welcoming social hub with the flick of a switch.
Socialising and relaxing shouldn’t stop in the cooler months – the trick is selecting the right energy source and appliances to help you relax and entertain in comfort all year round.
More: To find out more about natural gas and discover how it can enhance your lifestyle year-round, visit Natural Gas.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Natural Gas is the smart choice to help power your lifestyle.
Natural Gas is a more reliable, cost effective... Read More
Natural Gas is the smart choice to help power your lifestyle.
Natural Gas is a more reliable, cost effective... Read More