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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

Definition of terms used in this survey:

Gas furnace ­ space heating furnace burning natural gas designed for indoor installation, not a weatherized (outdoor) furnace, not packaged 

equipment

Minimum efficiency (non­condensing) furnace ­ 78­83% AFUE gas furnace, non­condensing

High efficiency (condensing) furnace ­ 90% AFUE and higher gas furnace, Energy Star rated, condensing

Gas water heater – a water heater that uses natural gas to heat the water and may or may not have an electric connection 

Electric water heater – a water heater that uses electricity to heat the water

1. Are you a Home Builder or an Installing Contractor?

nmlkj Home Builder

nmlkj Installing Contractor

nmlkj Other (specify below)
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

Home Builder Questions

2. What state are you located in? 

3. How many single family homes did your company complete during the past year?

State: 6

nmlkj 10 or less

nmlkj 11 ­ 100

nmlkj 101 ­ 1000

nmlkj More than 1000
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

Census Division Map

4. Looking at the census division map, 

where does your company currently build 

single family homes? Check all that apply.

gfedc Pacific

gfedc Mountain North

gfedc West North Central

gfedc East North Central

gfedc Middle Atlantic

gfedc New England

gfedc South Atlantic

gfedc East South Central

gfedc West South Central

gfedc Mountain South
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

5. When building new single family homes, what percent of the time would each of the 

following describe your role in the decision on the type of heating system to install? 

(Numbers must sum to 100.)

We make the entire decision based on our understanding of the market.

We strongly recommend one option, and the homebuyer agrees.

We provide several options, and the homebuyer chooses.

The homebuyer already knows what they want and tells us what to install.
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

6. When you choose an electric heating system in an area where natural gas service is 

available, what factors influence your decision? Check all that apply.

gfedc A belief that electric equipment has zero greenhouse gas emissions

gfedc Supplier incentives

gfedc Energy efficiency rating of electric heating system

gfedc Lower installed cost of electric system

gfedc Easier installation

gfedc Using electric heat pump for heating and cooling

gfedc Electric appliance utility rebate

gfedc Mechanical contractor preference

gfedc Avoid potential issues with venting of natural gas appliances

gfedc Customer preference

gfedc No other gas appliances in the home (e.g., range or gas fireplace)

gfedc Not applicable

gfedc Other (please describe)

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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

7. Of the single family homes you completed in the past year, what percentage:

0% 1­20% 21­40% 41­60% 61­80% 81­99% 100%

Had natural gas available? nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

Of that, used natural gas for 

space heating?

nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

Of that, used a high 

efficiency (condensing) 

furnace?

nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

Comment
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

8. When you choose a high efficiency (condensing) furnace instead of a minimum 

efficiency (non­condensing) furnace, what influences your decision? Check all that apply.

gfedc Easier installation

gfedc Energy costs

gfedc Customer preference

gfedc Lower installed cost

gfedc The environment

gfedc Fewer callbacks

gfedc Not applicable

gfedc Other (please describe)

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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

9. Of the homes you completed in the past year with minimum efficiency (non­condensing) 

furnaces, what percent had electric water heaters?

10. Of the homes you completed in the past year with high efficiency (condensing) 

furnaces, what percent had electric water heaters?

nmlkj 0%

nmlkj 1­5%

nmlkj 6­10%

nmlkj 11­15%

nmlkj 16­20%

nmlkj 21­40%

nmlkj 41­60%

nmlkj 61­80%

nmlkj 81­99%

nmlkj 100%

Comment

nmlkj 0%

nmlkj 1­5%

nmlkj 6­10%

nmlkj 11­15%

nmlkj 16­20%

nmlkj 21­40%

nmlkj 41­60%

nmlkj 61­80%

nmlkj 81­99%

nmlkj 100%

Comment
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

11. When you install a gas furnace and choose an electric water heater instead of a gas 

water heater, what factors influence your decision to choose the electric water heater?

Check all that apply.

gfedc Fewer callbacks

gfedc Preference for heat pump electric water heaters

gfedc A belief that electric equipment has zero greenhouse gas emissions

gfedc Avoids venting problems

gfedc Supplier incentives

gfedc Higher efficiency of electric water heater

gfedc Easier installation

gfedc Lower installed cost of electric water heater

gfedc Electric appliance utility rebate

gfedc Customer preference

gfedc Not applicable

gfedc Other (please describe)

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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

For each of the two scenarios that follow, your task is to spread 100 percentage points among home heating and water heating combinations listed. 

12. Consider this scenario (1): You are deciding what heating and water heating systems 

to install in your new homes. Natural gas is currently available in the area and the Federal 

minimum efficiency requirement for natural gas furnaces is the same as it is today. What 

percentage of your new home installations would be in each of the following categories? 

(NOTE: the total of all categories must be 100.)

13. Consider this scenario (2): You are deciding what heating and water heating systems 

to install in your new homes. Natural gas is currently available in the area and the Federal 

minimum efficiency requirement has changed to high efficiency (condensing) furnaces.

What percentage of your new home installations would be in each of the following 

categories? 

(NOTE: the total of all categories must be 100.)

14. Would you like to add a comment on these scenarios?

Heating: minimum efficiency (non­condensing) furnace; Water heating: natural gas

Heating: high efficiency (condensing) furnace; Water heating: natural gas

Heating: electric heat pump; Water heating: natural gas

Heating: electric furnace or baseboard; Water heating: natural gas

Heating: minimum efficiency (non­condensing) furnace; Water heating: electric

Heating: high efficiency (condensing) furnace; Water heating: electric

Heating: electric heat pump; Water heating: electric

Heating: electric furnace or baseboard; Water heating: electric

Other combinations

Heating: high efficiency (condensing) furnace; Water heating: natural gas

Heating: electric heat pump; Water heating: natural gas

Heating: electric furnace or baseboard; Water heating: natural gas

Heating: high efficiency (condensing) furnace; Water heating: electric

Heating: electric heat pump; Water heating: electric

Heating: electric furnace or baseboard; Water heating: electric

Other combinations

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Other 
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

15. Gas appliances usually cost less to operate than electric appliances, but usually cost 

more to install. If a high efficiency (condensing) furnace costs more to install by the 

amount shown in each row below, would you never, maybe, or always choose a high 

efficiency (condensing) furnace over an electric space heating system?

Click "Next" to skip this question.

Never Sometimes Half the Time Usually Always

$0 nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

$1 ­ $250 nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

$251 ­ $500 nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

$501 ­ $750 nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

$751 ­ $1000 nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

$1001 ­ $1200 nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

$1201 ­ $1500 nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

$1501 and above nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

Comments
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

Installing Contractor Questions

16. What state are you located in?

State: 6

Other 
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

Census Division Map

17. Looking at the census division map, 

where does your company install heating 

systems? Check all that apply.

gfedc Pacific

gfedc Mountain North

gfedc West North Central

gfedc East North Central

gfedc Middle Atlantic

gfedc New England

gfedc South Atlantic

gfedc East South Central

gfedc West South Central

gfedc Mountain South

Other 
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

18. How many gas furnace installations did your company perform in the past year?

19. Were any of those installations in new construction?

nmlkj Less than 10

nmlkj 10­100

nmlkj 100­1000

nmlkj More than 1000

nmlkj Yes

nmlkj No
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

20. What percentage of your total gas furnace installations were in new homes?

21. What percentage of your new home installations used a gas furnace for space 

heating?

22. What percentage of your new home installations used a high efficiency (condensing) 

furnace instead of a minimum efficiency (non­condensing) furnace?

nmlkj 1­20%

nmlkj 21­40%

nmlkj 41­60%

nmlkj 61­80%

nmlkj 81­99%

nmlkj 100%

nmlkj 0%

nmlkj 1­20%

nmlkj 21­40%

nmlkj 41­60%

nmlkj 61­80%

nmlkj 80­99%

nmlkj 100%

Comment

nmlkj 0%

nmlkj 1­20%

nmlkj 21­40%

nmlkj 41­60%

nmlkj 61­80%

nmlkj 80­99%

nmlkj 100%

Comment
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

23. Of the new homes in which you installed minimum efficiency (non­condensing) 

furnaces, what percentage used an electric water heater rather than a gas water heater?

nmlkj 0%

nmlkj 1­5%

nmlkj 6­10%

nmlkj 11­15%

nmlkj 16­20%

nmlkj 21­40%

nmlkj 41­60%

nmlkj 61­80%

nmlkj 81­99%

nmlkj 100%

Comment
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

24. Of the new homes in which you installed high efficiency (condensing) furnaces, what 

percentage used electric water heaters rather than gas water heaters?

nmlkj 0%

nmlkj 1­5%

nmlkj 6­10%

nmlkj 11­15%

nmlkj 16­20%

nmlkj 21­40%

nmlkj 41­60%

nmlkj 61­80%

nmlkj 81­99%

nmlkj 100%

Comment
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

25. Do you install replacement systems in existing homes?

nmlkj Yes

nmlkj No 
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

26. What percentage of your space heating system replacements over the past year:

Click "Next" to skip this question.

0% 1­20% 21­40% 41­60% 61­80% 81­99% 100%

Replaced existing electric 

heating systems?

nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

Replaced existing gas 

furnaces?

nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

Replaced existing high 

efficiency (condensing) 

furnaces?

nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

Replaced existing minimum 

efficiency (non­condensing) 

furnaces with high efficiency 

(condensing) furnaces?

nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

Comment
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

27. What percentage of your space heating system replacements over the past year 

replaced existing high efficiency (condensing) furnaces with any electric heating 

equipment?

nmlkj 0%

nmlkj 1­5%

nmlkj 6­10%

nmlkj 11­15%

nmlkj 16­20%

nmlkj 21­40%

nmlkj 41­60%

nmlkj 61­80%

nmlkj 81­99%

nmlkj 100%

Comment
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

28. When replacing a space heating system, what fraction of the time would each of the 

following describe your role in the decision on the type of space heating system to install?

(Numbers must sum to 100.) 

We provide several options, and the homeowner chooses.

We strongly recommend one option, and the homeowner agrees.

The homeowner already knows what they want and tells us what to install.

The homeowner lets us make the entire decision.
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

29. In the past year, when you replace a minimum efficiency (non­condensing) furnace 

with another minimum efficiency (non­condensing) furnace, what influenced the decision 

to install the minimum efficiency unit over a high efficiency unit? Check all that apply. 

gfedc Avoids potential problems related to draining condensate

gfedc Customer preference

gfedc Lower installed cost

gfedc Fewer callbacks

gfedc Avoids potential venting problems separating a common­vented gas water heater

gfedc Easier installation

gfedc Not applicable

gfedc Other (please describe)
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

30. When you replace an existing gas furnace with a minimum efficiency (non­condensing)

furnace, how often do you replace the water heater?

31. When you replace an existing gas furnace with a high efficiency (condensing) furnace, 

how often do you replace the water heater?

nmlkj 0%

nmlkj 1­5%

nmlkj 6­10%

nmlkj 11­15%

nmlkj 16­20%

nmlkj 21­40%

nmlkj 41­60%

nmlkj 61­80%

nmlkj 81­99%

nmlkj 100%

Comment

nmlkj 0%

nmlkj 1­5%

nmlkj 6­10%

nmlkj 11­15%

nmlkj 16­20%

nmlkj 21­40%

nmlkj 41­60%

nmlkj 61­80%

nmlkj 81­99%

nmlkj 100%

Comment
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

32. When you replace a minimum efficiency (non­condensing) furnace with a high 

efficiency (condensing) furnace, how often do you replace the gas water heater with an 

electric water heater?

33. In your last response, what factors influence your decision to replace the gas water 

heater with an electric water heater? Check all that apply. 

nmlkj 0%

nmlkj 1­5%

nmlkj 6­10%

nmlkj 11­15%

nmlkj 16­20%

nmlkj 21­40%

nmlkj 41­60%

nmlkj 61­80%

nmlkj 81­99%

nmlkj 100%

Comment

gfedc Customer preference

gfedc Preference for heat pump electric water heaters

gfedc Electric appliance rebate to the consumer

gfedc Lower installed cost of electric water heater

gfedc Supplier incentive

gfedc Easier installation

gfedc Energy efficiency ratings of electric water heaters

gfedc Fewer callbacks

gfedc A belief that electric equipment has zero greenhouse gas emissions

gfedc Avoids venting problems with a common­vented gas water heater

gfedc Not applicable

gfedc Other (please describe)

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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

34. When your company replaces a minimum efficiency (non­condensing) furnace, how 

often do you replace the gas furnace with electric heating?

35. What factors influence your decision to replace the gas furnace with electric heating?

Check all that apply.

nmlkj 0%

nmlkj 1­5%

nmlkj 6­10%

nmlkj 11­15%

nmlkj 16­20%

nmlkj 21­40%

nmlkj 41­60%

nmlkj 61­80%

nmlkj 81­99%

nmlkj 100%

Comment

gfedc Lower installed cost of electric system

gfedc Contractor preference

gfedc Easier installation

gfedc Electric appliance rebate to the consumer

gfedc Supplier incentives

gfedc A belief that electric equipment has zero greenhouse gas emissions

gfedc Higher energy efficiency rating of electric heating system

gfedc Installed electric heat pump for heating and cooling

gfedc Customer preference

gfedc Not applicable

gfedc Other (please describe)

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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

36. When replacing a minimum efficiency (non­condensing) furnace with a high efficiency 

(condensing) furnace, how often do you encounter space constraints that prevent the 

installation or require alteration to the structure?

nmlkj Never

nmlkj Sometimes

nmlkj Half the time

nmlkj Usually

nmlkj Always

nmlkj Not Sure

Comments
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

For each of the two scenarios that follow, your task is to spread 100 percentage points among home heating and water heating combinations listed. 

37. Consider this scenario (1): Natural gas is currently used for heating and water heating, 

and the Federal minimum requirement remains as it is today for gas furnaces. What 

percentage of your replacement installations would be in each of the following 

categories? 

(NOTE: the total of all categories must be 100.)

38. Consider this scenario (2): Natural gas is currently used for heating and water heating, 

and the Federal minimum requirement has changed to high­efficiency gas furnaces. What 

percentage of your replacement installations would be in each of the following 

categories? (NOTE: the total of all categories must be 100.) 

39. Would you like to add a comment on these scenarios?

Heating: minimum efficiency (non­condensing) furnace; Water heating: natural gas

Heating: high efficiency (condensing) furnace; Water heating: natural gas

Heating: electric heat pump; Water heating: natural gas

Heating: electric furnace or baseboard; Water heating: natural gas

Heating: minimum efficiency (non­condensing) furnace; Water heating: electric

Heating: high efficiency (condensing) furnace; Water heating: electric

Heating: electric heat pump; Water heating: electric

Heating: electric furnace or baseboard; Water heating: electric

Other combinations

Heating: high efficiency (condensing) furnace; Water heating: natural gas

Heating: electric heat pump; Water heating: natural gas

Heating: electric furnace or baseboard; Water heating: natural gas

Heating: high efficiency (condensing) furnace; Water heating: electric

Heating: electric heat pump; Water heating: electric

Heating: electric furnace or baseboard; Water heating: electric

Other combinations

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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

40. When replacing a minimum efficiency (non­condensing) furnace with a high efficiency 

(condensing) furnace, the vent system on the existing gas water heater may need to be 

modified. Replacing the gas water heater with an electric water heater is an option, but it 

may require upgrading the electric service.

If the high efficiency (condensing) furnace and gas water heater costs more to replace by 

the amount shown, would you never, maybe, or always replace the gas water heater with 

an electric water heater? 

Click "Next" to skip this question.

Never Sometimes Half the time Usually Always

$0 nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

$1 ­ $200 nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

$201 ­ $400 nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

$401 ­ $600 nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

$601 ­ $800 nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

Above $800 nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj nmlkj

Comments
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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

41. How would a high efficiency (condensing) furnace Federal minimum standard impact 

your business?

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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

42. If you are interested in providing additional information or details on your company’s 

practices regarding fuel and technology choices related to furnace installations, please 

provide a point of contact for a follow­up phone interview. We will then contact you as 

soon as possible to set up a mutually agreeable date and time for a 15 to 30 minute 

discussion. Your identity will remain anonymous. 

43. Any closing comments you would like to make about natural gas or electric space 

heating and water heating equipment?

That is the end of the survey. The completion code is Q3T3NA. Thank you for your participation. 

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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

44. If you are interested in providing additional information or details on your company’s 

practices regarding fuel and technology choices related to furnace installations, please 

provide a point of contact for a follow­up phone interview. We will then contact you as 

soon as possible to set up a mutually agreeable date and time for a 15 to 30 minute 

discussion. Your identity will remain anonymous. 

45. Any closing comments you would like to make about natural gas or electric space 

heating and water heating equipment?

That is the end of the survey. The completion code is Q3T3NA. Thank you for your participation.

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Natural Gas Fuel Switching Survey

46. This survey is intended for home builders and installing contractors only. If you would 

like to leave a comment, please use the box below. If you would like a follow­up to your 

comment, please provide your contact information.

That is the end of the survey. Thank you for your participation.

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