Natural gas The composition of natural gas is 95% methane, almost 4% ethane and nitrogen, and 1% carbon dioxide and propane. It is produced by the natural transformation of organic materials over millions of years. Methane: the simplest hydrocarbon Methane gas belongs to the hydrocarbon family. A hydrocarbon is an organic composition that contains only carbon and hydrogen atoms. With just one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms, methane (CH4) is the simplest hydrocarbon. Some other hydrocarbons are: propane (C3H8), ethane (C2H6) and butane (C4H10). Benefits of Natural Gas Natural gas is increasingly the fuel of choice in today's homes. Below are the top reasons to choose natural gas for your home. 1 | Affordability Natural gas costs less to use in your home than electricity, heating oil, propane or kerosene. On average, electricity costs almost four times more than natural gas. 2 | Convenience and reliability Natural gas is piped directly into your home. It's always there when you need it, and you never have to worry about running out of fuel or arranging for deliveries. 3 | Comfort Natural gas heat feels warmer than heat produced by an electric heat pump. 4 | Domestic supply Nearly 100% of the natural gas consumed in the U.S. is produced in North America with 90% coming directly from the U.S. 5 | Environmental impact Simply put - natural gas is the cleanest-burning energy source for your home. The combustion of natural gas emits 45% less carbon dioxide than coal. 6 | Energy efficiency Natural gas is highly efficient. About 90% of the natural gas produced is delivered to customers as useful energy. In contrast, only about 27%of the energy converted to electricity reaches consumers. 7 | Safety The U.S. natural gas industry spends more than $4 billion per year on safety-related programs and is proud of its outstanding safety record. Natural Gas 101 Natural gas is increasingly the fuel of choice in today’s homes with nearly 95% of new homes in the Midwest choosing to install natural gas service. Find out more about this optimal energy source through the Q & A section below. What is natural gas? Natural gas is a combustible, gaseous mixture of simple hydrocarbon compounds, usually found in deep underground reservoirs formed by porous rock. Natural gas is a fossil fuel composed almost entirely of methane, but does contain small amounts of other gases, including ethane, propane, butane and pentane. What does natural gas smell like? In its most pure state, natural gas has no odor. That’s why we add a chemical with a very distinctive odor. In fact, it smells like rotten eggs. Click here for more information about natural gas safety. How is natural gas delivered to my home? Three segments of the natural gas industry are involved in delivering natural gas from the wellhead to the consumer. Production companies explore, drill and extract natural gas from the ground. Transmission companies operate the pipelines that link the natural gas fields to major consuming areas. Distribution companies, such as Vectren Energy Delivery, are the local utilities that deliver natural gas to the customer. Natural gas is then delivered to your home through Vectren’s system of pipelines and mains to your gas meter. How safe is natural gas? The 2.1 million-mile underground natural gas delivery system has an outstanding safety record. Likewise, you can depend on your natural gas utility to bring you America’s best energy value regardless of weather. However, it is flammable and, like any burning fuels, can produce carbon monoxide. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you have your natural gas appliances inspected yearly to prevent improper combustion. Do natural gas appliances produce carbon monoxide? A natural gas furnace, water heater or other equipment that is properly installed and regularly maintained should not release carbon monoxide (CO) into your home. But, to operate safely and efficiently, any fuel-burning appliance or equipment must have a good supply of air. It must also have proper and effective venting to carry the exhausts outdoors. If anything interferes with the air supply or the venting of exhaust gases, incomplete or faulty combustion may occur. This could cause CO to be produced. For more information on CO safety, click here. What are the environmental impacts involved in consuming natural gas? Simply put - natural gas is the cleanest-burning energy source for your home. Natural gas has fewer impurities, is chemically less complex and its combustion generally results in less pollution than other fuels. In most applications, the use of natural gas produces less sulfur dioxide, less nitrogen oxides and less particulate matter than oil and coal. Natural Gas Appliances Home Heating with Natural Gas Heating your home with natural gas is the most affordable and cost-efficient method. Today’s gas furnaces are now up to 98% efficient, thus providing substantial savings that will quickly pay for the cost of the unit. Natural gas furnace: produces heat that feels warmer than electric models at a much more affordable price. Plus, natural gas furnaces are typically more efficient and last longer than electric models. Natural gas fireplace (logs): provides instant on an off controls to quickly warm up the room faster than a wood-burning fireplace. Plus, you can say goodbye to hauling or storing wood. Natural gas space or garage heater: produces efficient gas heat for smaller spaces, such as garages or pool houses. These convenient can be wall- mounted and can operate during a power outage given they require not electricity to operate. Natural Gas Appliances Water Heating with Natural Gas Heating water with natural gas costs roughly half as much as an electric model. Plus, natural gas units recover up to 40% faster than electric models and ensures a hot water supply even if the electricity is out. While there are literally hundreds of models available, water heaters come in two basic styles: Storage or tank-style: is the most common type of water heater currently in the U.S. Tank water heaters store hot water on a standby basis, heating and reheating the same water so it will be ready for you. The tank size typically ranges from 40 gallons to 100 gallons depending on the hot water demand. Tankless style: are becoming more widespread in the U.S. because they provide endless hot water, take up less space and save energy. Unlike tank-style water heaters that heat water in a storage tank, tankless water heaters heat water only when you need it. Tankless water heaters cost more than a tank model to purchase and install. However, the energy saved typically results in paybacks of a few years or less for a family of four. Tankless hot water heaters also last twice as long as a tank model, up to 20 years, and they take up less space in your home. Natural Gas Appliances Clothes Drying with Natural Gas Natural gas clothes dryers cost about half as much to operate as a comparable electric dryer and produce less static cling. Today’s models include moisture sensors for the best results on fabrics. Natural Gas Appliances Cooking with Natural Gas Because of its precision, cooking with natural gas is preferred by restaurant chefs across the country. Even better, it costs about half as much to cook with a gas range compared with a similar electric range. There’s a vast range of options for your kitchen or patio. Natural gas cooktop: is easily installed against walls or into a free-standing island. A separate wall oven is typically located in another area of the kitchen. Cook tops usually match the depth of most cabinetry for easy installation. Natural gas free-standing gas range: combines the cook top and oven into one affordable appliance. You can choose a stand-alone or built-in look without remodeling. Natural gas stove: is available in wall or under-counter models for baking, roasting, broiling and grilling. And they’re easy to access, without stooping over conventional range ovens. You can even order a double oven stacked top to bottom or side by side. This comes in really handy if you have a larger family or entertain frequently. Natural gas outdoor grill: offers precise temperature control with no tank to refill, unlike propane. Natural Gas Appliances Outdoor Living with Natural Gas Outdoor living natural gas appliances can easily and affordably integrate natural surroundings into your everyday life. You can even transform your patio, porch or deck into an outdoor room with the comfort and convenience of natural gas. Consider the following options: Natural gas grill or barbeque: provides convenience and flexibility when compared to charcoal and propane units through an endless supply of natural gas with no tanks to refill. And you’ll enjoy no warm-up time on your gas grill - takes as few as 6 minutes to reach 600° F. Natural gas firepit or patio heater: offers a convenient and simple alternative to building a campfire with no wood to store or replenish. Gas firepits and patio heaters are safe for use on wood decks with no burning embers, smoke or campfire smell. Natural gas pool or spa heater: provides comfort and warmth to your outdoor spa or pool year-round by heating twice as fast as electric models. Choose from gas-fire storage, instantaneous, circulating or immersion systems. Natural gas outdoor lighting: adds charm and value to your home through modern or traditional lighting. Gas lighting won’t create harsh shadows like flood lighting and won’t attract insects. Plus, gas lighting requires little maintenance and remains lit through electric power outages.