Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

steve2470

(37,457 posts)
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 05:24 PM Nov 2020

Just curious...do many in Florida have " gas heat " to heat a home ?

I am totally ignorant about this. I only know much about electric heat. I was talking to a UK friend about her gas heat.

Thank you in advance, Steve

eta: My parents had oil heat.

26 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Just curious...do many in Florida have " gas heat " to heat a home ? (Original Post) steve2470 Nov 2020 OP
no. it's basically all electric. if people have gas, it's for ovens & fireplaces (because when Native Nov 2020 #1
65? kirkuchiyo Nov 2020 #9
oh yeah, it's completely ridiculous. the minute it drops down below 70, people wear boots & jackets. Native Nov 2020 #20
I rode kirkuchiyo Nov 2020 #25
I could be wrong but I don't think gas heat is super common in US homes ... mr_lebowski Nov 2020 #2
Half of all American homes are heated with natural gas Cirque du So-What Nov 2020 #11
Well shut my mouth ... mr_lebowski Nov 2020 #14
Yep. From DOE: Cirque du So-What Nov 2020 #18
I don't know about Florida Kali Nov 2020 #3
We had it in our last home in FL. Alacritous Crier Nov 2020 #4
It's rare in South Florida to have gas rather than electric and I have no idea why. I know we had MaryMagdaline Nov 2020 #5
Because everyone has AC, and they can also heat...... getagrip_already Nov 2020 #7
makes sense MaryMagdaline Nov 2020 #8
I had a gas on demand hot water heater and gas stove. The heat was via the AC/electric heat. mitch96 Nov 2020 #21
Hello from Cooper City! I love those Hollywood houses MaryMagdaline Nov 2020 #22
I think the geology LunaSea Nov 2020 #6
Yep. I'm in Orlando. OrlandoDem2 Nov 2020 #12
I have gas heater. It's not uncommon but most probably have electric. OrlandoDem2 Nov 2020 #10
Delray Beach, here. No oil nor gas. Just electric. Electric is the simplest in every way. nt Earthshine2 Nov 2020 #13
My MAGA sister Delarage Nov 2020 #15
I will wave at your sister when I go to Panama City tomorrow Chainfire Nov 2020 #17
Must be Delarage Nov 2020 #19
That would have been Hurricane Michael Chainfire Nov 2020 #23
When I built my current house in '98 Chainfire Nov 2020 #16
Heat...???? Sancho Nov 2020 #24
In South Florida I have mostly had electric heat in all the places I have lived. iscooterliberally Nov 2020 #26

Native

(5,936 posts)
1. no. it's basically all electric. if people have gas, it's for ovens & fireplaces (because when
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 05:28 PM
Nov 2020

it gets down to 65 degrees, it's time to fire that sucker up).

kirkuchiyo

(402 posts)
9. 65?
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 05:43 PM
Nov 2020

That what I keep my heat at in the winter. Would be lower but my wife and daughters complained at 63.

Native

(5,936 posts)
20. oh yeah, it's completely ridiculous. the minute it drops down below 70, people wear boots & jackets.
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 07:04 PM
Nov 2020

i went for a walk the other morning. it was 68 degrees. people were wearing jackets AND GLOVES!

kirkuchiyo

(402 posts)
25. I rode
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 09:49 PM
Nov 2020

My motorcycle today. It was 50 out. Just a motorcycle jacket with no insulation, jeans and perforated leather gloves. Lovely fall ride... I guess it is what you are acclimatized to.

 

mr_lebowski

(33,643 posts)
2. I could be wrong but I don't think gas heat is super common in US homes ...
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 05:28 PM
Nov 2020

As such I would kinda doubt that there's a lot of homes outfitted with it in Florida.

We USE gas in lots of places, but it's a lot more commonly used for stoves and hot water heaters and fake fireplaces.

Real old houses I think are more likely to have gas heat. LIke if built from the 1920-1960's.

 

mr_lebowski

(33,643 posts)
14. Well shut my mouth ...
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 05:51 PM
Nov 2020

I've only had it in like 1/15 places I've lived in my life, and haven't known of many other people that had it ... maybe regional.

Kali

(54,999 posts)
3. I don't know about Florida
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 05:29 PM
Nov 2020

but there are two types of household gas for heating - natural gas delivered through pipes from a centralized point sort of like city water or electricity, and individual storage tanks of propane delivered by truck on a schedule.

Alacritous Crier

(3,813 posts)
4. We had it in our last home in FL.
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 05:30 PM
Nov 2020

Underground propane tank. Gas heat, hot water and stove.

Hardly ever used heat.

MaryMagdaline

(6,850 posts)
5. It's rare in South Florida to have gas rather than electric and I have no idea why. I know we had
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 05:30 PM
Nov 2020

the option for both new homes we bought in the last 30 years. We chose electric, and I don't remember why.

getagrip_already

(14,570 posts)
7. Because everyone has AC, and they can also heat......
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 05:39 PM
Nov 2020

So it's a multi function unit.

Up here in new england, the lions share of heat is via heating oil. There is a sizeable natural gas base though. There was a drive many years back to convert people because gas was cheaper and relatively plentiful. Oil gets very pricey and supplies can be disrupted.

mitch96

(13,868 posts)
21. I had a gas on demand hot water heater and gas stove. The heat was via the AC/electric heat.
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 07:10 PM
Nov 2020

This was in Hollywood between Ft laud and Miami.. I got a rebate from the gov't when I switched over.. The bill was about $15 per month.. One person cooking a lot and never taking showers. If I used the heat it was for about one week in Jan maybe Feb...
m

LunaSea

(2,892 posts)
6. I think the geology
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 05:36 PM
Nov 2020

of Florida make underground pipework more problematic, particularly near the coast.
The more expensive it is to install distribution systems, the less likely they'd be offered.
I only recollect seeing electric heat in my visits to western and central Florida.

Delarage

(2,186 posts)
15. My MAGA sister
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 05:53 PM
Nov 2020

in Panama City has all electric.

I'm all gas here in Delaware (heat, dryer--although I use the sun mainly, hot water, cooking) and I helped renovate an old family home that we converted from oil to natural gas (for everything). The sun makes most of my electricity (solar panels on the roof). If the utility didn't have natural gas here, I would maybe use just electricity (and get more solar panels). Propane is very expensive.

Chainfire

(17,433 posts)
17. I will wave at your sister when I go to Panama City tomorrow
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 06:16 PM
Nov 2020

On a antique shopping trip! My only MAGA family member, my sister, has a lake house there too.

Delarage

(2,186 posts)
19. Must be
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 06:39 PM
Nov 2020

A MAGA-sister magnet

I haven't been down there in a few years. Her house got pretty damaged by the hurricane that wiped out Mexico Beach... I forget which one it was.

Chainfire

(17,433 posts)
23. That would have been Hurricane Michael
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 07:20 PM
Nov 2020

It wiped out my sisters lake house too but they have rebuilt it. (I am beginning to wonder if we are talking about the same sister, you think we may be kin?)

Chainfire

(17,433 posts)
16. When I built my current house in '98
Thu Nov 5, 2020, 06:14 PM
Nov 2020

I went with gas heat, oven, clothes dryer and water heater. I replaced the central heating system this past Spring so it will be my first Winter on a heat pump with strip backup. Over the years, I have replaced all of the appliances, except for the oven with electric. I bought a new gas range/oven this year because I far prefer cooking with gas. A good reason in Florida for having gas to cook with is when the hurricane knocks your power out for two weeks, you can still cook and heat water to bathe with.

Gas, especially natural gas, (as opposed to propane) is a solid choice for heating.

iscooterliberally

(2,856 posts)
26. In South Florida I have mostly had electric heat in all the places I have lived.
Fri Nov 6, 2020, 02:03 PM
Nov 2020

That's if I even had any heat at all. You really don't use it much. Maybe a few nights in January and February you turn it on. The first time you need to use it, you get that burnt dust smell. It goes away fast though. When I lived in Boston we had gas heat. Some places had oil. Some houses in Florida could have gas heat as there are some neighborhoods with gas stoves and water heaters. I've never had gas heat down here though. It's so damn hot for most of the year that I enjoy a good cold snap every now and then. I love getting to open the windows and air out the house.

Latest Discussions»Region Forums»Florida»Just curious...do many in...