In the past using gas has been known to be a cheaper alternative, however with the growing uptake of solar technology, the electricity market is becoming greener from renewable power resources and appliances becoming more efficient, having an all-electric property and disconnecting from the gas mains can save you money each year on connection and supply charges. Plus, if your property includes solar panels, the savings can be even greater. For example in a case study by the Climate Council Victoria found an all-electric average-sized 4-person family home with solar panels can save up to $2000 per year on bills and depending on the solar system, can even have no energy bills at all.
Broadly, gas is not clean, like many of our widely used fossil fuels, it is harming our health and our planet through the extraction & processing used to access this resource as it involves many hazardous substances that can cause hormonal imbalances, asthma, cancer and impact our air quality, pollute the local environment & water. There is also growing evidence that extracting gas can adversely affect communities living close to gas wells.
In the home burning gas can also contribute to poorer health without us even knowing. Many people consider gas to be ‘clean & natural’, however, a household that uses gas cooking has a risk of children developing asthma similar to those living with cigarette smoke. A 2018 study by the University of Queensland found that cooking with gas in the home is attributed to 12.3% of childhood asthma in Australia.
Using gas in the home can also present risks to our safety if appliances aren’t turned off properly, well maintained or become faulty. Carbon monoxide can leek into the home causing headaches, nausea, confusion, tiredness, shortness of breath, chest pain and in some cases even death if levels are high enough.
While many of us have used gas for years, this resource and it’s impacts are harmful to our families and planet – let’s shift our mindset away from fossil fuels that aren’t sustainable. If you want to update your home, have a new building project underway or are planning one, consider going gas-free and make the switch today.
Want to know how you can go gas-free? Get in touch and we help you decide whether it’s right for you and your project.
